diff --git a/patoolib/__init__.py b/patoolib/__init__.py
index 3d721f8..f3b8f9d 100644
--- a/patoolib/__init__.py
+++ b/patoolib/__init__.py
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ def test (archive, verbose=False):
 
 def create (archive, *files, **kwargs):
     """Create given archive with given files."""
+    assert len(files) > 0
     return handle_archive(archive, 'create', *files, **kwargs)