diff --git a/keystoneclient/service_catalog.py b/keystoneclient/service_catalog.py
index faff74bfe..5f20e0f38 100644
--- a/keystoneclient/service_catalog.py
+++ b/keystoneclient/service_catalog.py
@@ -27,7 +27,16 @@ class ServiceCatalog(object):
         self.catalog = resource_dict
 
     def get_token(self):
-        """Fetch token details fron service catalog"""
+        """Fetch token details fron service catalog.
+
+        Returns a dictionary containing the following::
+
+        - `id`: Token's ID
+        - `expires`: Token's expiration
+        - `user_id`: Authenticated user's ID
+        - `tenant_id`: Authorized project's ID
+
+        """
         token = {'id': self.catalog['token']['id'],
                  'expires': self.catalog['token']['expires']}
         try:
@@ -46,6 +55,8 @@ class ServiceCatalog(object):
         a particular endpoint attribute. If no attribute is given, return
         the first endpoint of the specified type.
 
+        Valid endpoint types: `publicURL`, `internalURL`, `adminURL`
+
         See tests for a sample service catalog.
         """
         catalog = self.catalog.get('serviceCatalog', [])
@@ -62,7 +73,7 @@ class ServiceCatalog(object):
         raise exceptions.EndpointNotFound('Endpoint not found.')
 
     def get_endpoints(self, service_type=None, endpoint_type=None):
-        """Fetch and filter endpoints for the specified service(s)
+        """Fetch and filter endpoints for the specified service(s).
 
         Returns endpoints for the specified service (or all) and
         that contain the specified type (or all).
diff --git a/keystoneclient/v2_0/client.py b/keystoneclient/v2_0/client.py
index ffd0c2c03..130887235 100644
--- a/keystoneclient/v2_0/client.py
+++ b/keystoneclient/v2_0/client.py
@@ -76,10 +76,13 @@ class Client(client.HTTPClient):
         # extensions
         self.ec2 = ec2.CredentialsManager(self)
 
+        self.management_url = endpoint
         if endpoint is None:
             self.authenticate()
-        else:
-            self.management_url = endpoint
+
+    def has_service_catalog(self):
+        """Returns True if this client provides a service catalog."""
+        return hasattr(self, 'service_catalog')
 
     def authenticate(self):
         """ Authenticate against the Keystone API.
diff --git a/keystoneclient/v2_0/shell.py b/keystoneclient/v2_0/shell.py
index 522f98b86..98b3b51ed 100755
--- a/keystoneclient/v2_0/shell.py
+++ b/keystoneclient/v2_0/shell.py
@@ -20,9 +20,23 @@ import argparse
 from keystoneclient.v2_0 import client
 from keystoneclient import utils
 
+
 CLIENT_CLASS = client.Client
 
 
+def require_service_catalog(f):
+    msg = ('Configuration error: Client configured to run without a service '
+           'catalog. Run the client using --os-auth-url or OS_AUTH_URL, '
+           'instead of --os-endpoint or OS_SERVICE_ENDPOINT, for example.')
+
+    def wrapped(kc, args):
+        if not kc.has_service_catalog():
+            raise Exception(msg)
+        return f(kc, args)
+
+    return wrapped
+
+
 @utils.arg('--tenant-id', metavar='<tenant-id>',
            help='Tenant ID;  lists all users if not specified')
 @utils.arg('--tenant_id', help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
@@ -332,6 +346,7 @@ def do_ec2_credentials_delete(kc, args):
 
 @utils.arg('--service', metavar='<service-type>', default=None,
            help='Service type to return')
+@require_service_catalog
 def do_catalog(kc, args):
     """List service catalog, possibly filtered by service."""
     endpoints = kc.service_catalog.get_endpoints(service_type=args.service)
@@ -352,6 +367,7 @@ def do_catalog(kc, args):
            help='Service attribute to match for selection')
 @utils.arg('--value', metavar='<value>',
            help='Value of attribute to match')
+@require_service_catalog
 def do_endpoint_get(kc, args):
     """Find endpoint filtered by a specific attribute or service type"""
     kwargs = {
@@ -408,6 +424,7 @@ def do_endpoint_delete(kc, args):
 
 @utils.arg('--wrap', metavar='<integer>', default=0,
            help='wrap PKI tokens to a specified length, or 0 to disable')
+@require_service_catalog
 def do_token_get(kc, args):
     """Display the current user token"""
     utils.print_dict(kc.service_catalog.get_token(),