diff --git a/src/parallel b/src/parallel
index 4dfe8622..11123572 100755
--- a/src/parallel
+++ b/src/parallel
@@ -10384,6 +10384,10 @@ sub new {
     $dbh->{'ShowErrorStatement'} = 1;
     $dbh->{'HandleError'} = sub {};
 
+    if(not defined $options{'table'}) {
+	::error("The DBURL ($dburl) must contain a table.");
+	::wait_and_exit(255);
+    }
 
     return bless {
 	'dbh' => $dbh,
diff --git a/testsuite/tests-to-run/parallel-local-sql.sh b/testsuite/tests-to-run/parallel-local-sql.sh
index fb662c16..13d91473 100755
--- a/testsuite/tests-to-run/parallel-local-sql.sh
+++ b/testsuite/tests-to-run/parallel-local-sql.sh
@@ -130,6 +130,17 @@ par_sql_joblog() {
   # TODO --sqlandworker --wait
 }
 
+par_no_table() {
+    echo 'bug #50018: --dburl without table dies'
+    parallel --sqlworker $SERVERURL
+    echo $?
+    parallel --sqlandworker $SERVERURL echo ::: no_output
+    echo $?
+    parallel --sqlmaster $SERVERURL echo ::: no_output
+    echo $?
+    # For p_wrapper to remove table
+    parallel --sqlandworker $DBURL true ::: dummy ::: dummy
+}
 
 export -f $(compgen -A function | egrep 'p_|par_')
 # Tested that -j0 in parallel is fastest (up to 15 jobs)
diff --git a/testsuite/wanted-results/parallel-local-sql b/testsuite/wanted-results/parallel-local-sql
index fb67ccbb..a773c48b 100644
--- a/testsuite/wanted-results/parallel-local-sql
+++ b/testsuite/wanted-results/parallel-local-sql
@@ -264,6 +264,46 @@ par_append_different_cmd $SQLITE	:|sleep .3;echo D-15|15|D|D-15
 par_append_different_cmd $SQLITE	|
 par_append_different_cmd $SQLITE	:|sleep .3;echo E-15|15|E|E-15
 par_append_different_cmd $SQLITE	|
+p_wrapper par_no_table \$MYSQL
+par_no_table $MYSQL	bug #50018: --dburl without table dies
+par_no_table $MYSQL	255
+par_no_table $MYSQL	255
+par_no_table $MYSQL	255
+par_no_table $MYSQL	Exit=0
+par_no_table $MYSQL	Exit=0
+par_no_table $MYSQL	Host	Command	V1	V2	Stdout	Stderr
+par_no_table $MYSQL	:	true dummy dummy	dummy	dummy		
+par_no_table $MYSQL	parallel: Error: The DBURL (mysql://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $MYSQL	parallel: Error: The DBURL (mysql://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $MYSQL	parallel: Error: The DBURL (mysql://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $MYSQL	mysql: [Warning] Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure.
+p_wrapper par_no_table \$PG
+par_no_table $PG	bug #50018: --dburl without table dies
+par_no_table $PG	255
+par_no_table $PG	255
+par_no_table $PG	255
+par_no_table $PG	Exit=0
+par_no_table $PG	Exit=0
+par_no_table $PG	 host |     command      |  v1   |  v2   | stdout | stderr 
+par_no_table $PG	------+------------------+-------+-------+--------+--------
+par_no_table $PG	 :    | true dummy dummy | dummy | dummy |        | 
+par_no_table $PG	(1 row)
+par_no_table $PG	
+par_no_table $PG	parallel: Error: The DBURL (pg://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $PG	parallel: Error: The DBURL (pg://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $PG	parallel: Error: The DBURL (pg://tange:tange@lo/tange) must contain a table.
+p_wrapper par_no_table \$SQLITE
+par_no_table $SQLITE	bug #50018: --dburl without table dies
+par_no_table $SQLITE	255
+par_no_table $SQLITE	255
+par_no_table $SQLITE	255
+par_no_table $SQLITE	Exit=0
+par_no_table $SQLITE	Exit=0
+par_no_table $SQLITE	Host|Command|V1|V2|Stdout|Stderr
+par_no_table $SQLITE	:|true dummy dummy|dummy|dummy||
+par_no_table $SQLITE	parallel: Error: The DBURL (sqlite3:///%2Frun%2Fshm%2Fparallel.db) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $SQLITE	parallel: Error: The DBURL (sqlite3:///%2Frun%2Fshm%2Fparallel.db) must contain a table.
+par_no_table $SQLITE	parallel: Error: The DBURL (sqlite3:///%2Frun%2Fshm%2Fparallel.db) must contain a table.
 p_wrapper par_shuf \$MYSQL
 par_shuf $MYSQL	1 a
 par_shuf $MYSQL	1 b