diff --git a/server/start.go b/server/start.go
index 7d7b40e46a..f3e8253e7b 100644
--- a/server/start.go
+++ b/server/start.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ const (
 
 var errPruningWithGranularOptions = fmt.Errorf("%s flag is not compatible with granular options as %s or %s", flagPruning, flagPruningKeepEvery, flagPruningSnapshotEvery)
 var errPruningGranularOptions = fmt.Errorf("%s and %s must be set together", flagPruningSnapshotEvery, flagPruningKeepEvery)
+var errPruningOptionsRequired = fmt.Errorf("pruning options required")
 
 // StartCmd runs the service passed in, either stand-alone or in-process with
 // Tendermint.
@@ -62,6 +63,10 @@ For profiling and benchmarking purposes, CPU profiling can be enabled via the '-
 which accepts a path for the resulting pprof file.
 `,
 		PreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if !viper.IsSet(flagPruning) && !viper.IsSet(flagPruningKeepEvery) && !viper.IsSet(flagPruningSnapshotEvery) {
+				return errPruningOptionsRequired
+			}
+
 			if viper.IsSet(flagPruning) {
 				if viper.IsSet(flagPruningKeepEvery) || viper.IsSet(flagPruningSnapshotEvery) {
 					return errPruningWithGranularOptions
diff --git a/server/start_test.go b/server/start_test.go
index cd7c6b6ae1..a61a31852b 100644
--- a/server/start_test.go
+++ b/server/start_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ func TestPruningOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		returnsErr  bool
 		expectedErr error
 	}{
+		{
+			name:        "none set",
+			paramInit:   func() {},
+			returnsErr:  true,
+			expectedErr: errPruningOptionsRequired,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "only keep-every provided",
 			paramInit: func() {