diff --git a/tools/create_work.cpp b/tools/create_work.cpp
index fc3a127883..ad7a286432 100644
--- a/tools/create_work.cpp
+++ b/tools/create_work.cpp
@@ -158,6 +158,15 @@ void JOB_DESC::parse_cmdline(int argc, char** argv) {
     }
 }
 
+void check_assign_id(int x) {
+    if (x == 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr,
+            "you must specify a nonzero database ID for assigning jobs to users, teams, or hosts.\n"
+        );
+        exit(1);
+    }
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     DB_APP app;
     int retval;
@@ -235,23 +244,28 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
             jd.assign_type = ASSIGN_USER;
             jd.assign_multi = true;
             jd.assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
+            check_assign_id(jd.assign_id);
         } else if (arg(argv, i, "broadcast_team")) {
             jd.assign_flag = true;
             jd.assign_type = ASSIGN_TEAM;
             jd.assign_multi = true;
             jd.assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
+            check_assign_id(jd.assign_id);
         } else if (arg(argv, i, "target_host")) {
             jd.assign_flag = true;
             jd.assign_type = ASSIGN_HOST;
             jd.assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
+            check_assign_id(jd.assign_id);
         } else if (arg(argv, i, "target_user")) {
             jd.assign_flag = true;
             jd.assign_type = ASSIGN_USER;
             jd.assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
+            check_assign_id(jd.assign_id);
         } else if (arg(argv, i, "target_team")) {
             jd.assign_flag = true;
             jd.assign_type = ASSIGN_TEAM;
             jd.assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
+            check_assign_id(jd.assign_id);
         } else if (arg(argv, i, "help")) {
             usage();
             exit(0);