diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 859a84f5..c6972b33 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 - `set-env!` works even if the user has set `*print-level*` or `*print-length*` to non-nil in their `$BOOT_HOME/profile.boot`. [#587][587] [#586][586]
 - `tmpfile` "Commit: adding..." messages now only appear with `-vv` which eases debugging tasks with `-v` [#557][557]
 - Pod tests pass and can be run with `make` [#567][567]
+- `file-filter` (called by all `by-*` functions) throws an error if no criteria are specified.
 
 #### Fixed
 
diff --git a/boot/core/src/boot/core.clj b/boot/core/src/boot/core.clj
index b46d0521..ecbb6862 100644
--- a/boot/core/src/boot/core.clj
+++ b/boot/core/src/boot/core.clj
@@ -1218,6 +1218,7 @@
   "A file filtering function factory. FIXME: more documenting here."
   [mkpred]
   (fn [criteria files & [negate?]]
+    (assert (seq criteria) "boot.core/file-filter requires a list of criteria but null was passed in, make sure your `by-*` calls are passing them.")
     (let [tmp?   (partial satisfies? tmpd/ITmpFile)
           ->file #(if (tmp? %) (io/file (tmp-path %)) (io/file %))
           pred (apply juxt (mapv mkpred criteria))]