diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -1552,6 +1552,8 @@ def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts, rename=Fa
             for abs, rel, exact in srcs:
                 copylist.append(abs)
 
+        if not copylist:
+            raise error.Abort(_(b'no files to copy'))
         # TODO: Add support for `hg cp --at-rev . foo bar dir` and
         # `hg cp --at-rev . dir1 dir2`, preferably unifying the code with the
         # existing functions below.
diff --git a/tests/test-rename-rev.t b/tests/test-rename-rev.t
--- a/tests/test-rename-rev.t
+++ b/tests/test-rename-rev.t
@@ -25,10 +25,9 @@ Test single file
   abort: --at-rev requires --after
   [255]
 # Errors out with non-existent source
-BROKEN: this should have a better error message
   $ hg cp -A --at-rev . d1/non-existent d1/d
   d1/non-existent: no such file in rev 55d1fd85ef0a
-  abort: --at-rev requires a single source
+  abort: no files to copy
   [255]
 # Errors out with non-existent destination
   $ hg cp -A --at-rev . d1/b d1/non-existent