diff --git a/libs/flags/json_flag.go b/libs/flags/json_flag.go
index 8a50e6c092b..587bca298c3 100644
--- a/libs/flags/json_flag.go
+++ b/libs/flags/json_flag.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package flags
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
@@ -23,6 +24,9 @@ func (j *JsonFlag) String() string {
 
 // TODO: Command.MarkFlagFilename()
 func (j *JsonFlag) Set(v string) error {
+	if v == "" {
+		return errors.New("expected inline JSON or @path/to/file, got an empty string")
+	}
 	// Load request from file if it starts with '@' (like curl).
 	if v[0] != '@' {
 		j.raw = []byte(v)
diff --git a/libs/flags/json_flag_test.go b/libs/flags/json_flag_test.go
index 2ebda9f8678..db9eaa78819 100644
--- a/libs/flags/json_flag_test.go
+++ b/libs/flags/json_flag_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ func TestJsonFlagEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, request)
 }
 
+func TestJsonFlagEmptyValue(t *testing.T) {
+	var body JsonFlag
+
+	err := body.Set("")
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, "expected inline JSON or @path/to/file, got an empty string")
+}
+
 func TestJsonFlagInline(t *testing.T) {
 	var body JsonFlag