diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index 7f69dddf92..2c4ee9e237 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -7268,7 +7268,10 @@ editor_menu_main (NmCli *nmc, NMConnection *connection, const char *connection_t
 				} else
 					ss = menu_ctx.curr_setting;
 
-				if (descr_all) {
+				if (!ss) {
+					g_print (_("Error: no setting selected; valid are [%s]\n"), valid_settings_str);
+					g_print (_("use 'goto <setting>' first, or 'describe <setting>.<property>'\n"));
+				} else if (descr_all) {
 					/* Show description for all properties */
 					print_setting_description (ss);
 				} else {