diff --git a/hgext/rebase.py b/hgext/rebase.py
--- a/hgext/rebase.py
+++ b/hgext/rebase.py
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ def rebase(ui, repo, **opts):
 
             if revf:
                 rebaseset = scmutil.revrange(repo, revf)
+                if not rebaseset:
+                    raise util.Abort(_('empty "rev" revision set - '
+                                       'nothing to rebase'))
             elif srcf:
                 src = scmutil.revrange(repo, [srcf])
                 rebaseset = repo.revs('(%ld)::', src)
diff --git a/tests/test-rebase-parameters.t b/tests/test-rebase-parameters.t
--- a/tests/test-rebase-parameters.t
+++ b/tests/test-rebase-parameters.t
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ These fail:
   abort: cannot specify both a revision and a base
   [255]
 
+  $ hg rebase --rev '1 & !1'
+  abort: empty "rev" revision set - nothing to rebase
+  [255]
+
   $ hg rebase
   nothing to rebase
   [1]