if (i >= TODO_COMMENT)
                return -1;
 
+       /* Eat up extra spaces/ tabs before object name */
+       padding = strspn(bol, " \t");
+       bol += padding;
+
        if (item->command == TODO_NOOP) {
+               if (bol != eol)
+                       return error(_("%s does not accept arguments: '%s'"),
+                                    command_to_string(item->command), bol);
                item->commit = NULL;
                item->arg = bol;
                item->arg_len = eol - bol;
                return 0;
        }
 
-       /* Eat up extra spaces/ tabs before object name */
-       padding = strspn(bol, " \t");
        if (!padding)
-               return -1;
-       bol += padding;
+               return error(_("missing arguments for %s"),
+                            command_to_string(item->command));
 
        if (item->command == TODO_EXEC) {
                item->commit = NULL;