diff --git a/core/commands/ping.go b/core/commands/ping.go
index 5d48f260ac3..6a88df108ca 100644
--- a/core/commands/ping.go
+++ b/core/commands/ping.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"strings"
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ type PingResult struct {
 	Text    string
 }
 
+// ErrPingSelf is returned when the user attempts to ping themself.
+var ErrPingSelf = errors.New("error: can't ping self")
+
 var PingCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	Helptext: cmdkit.HelpText{
 		Tagline: "Send echo request packets to IPFS hosts.",
@@ -80,7 +84,12 @@ trip latency information.
 
 		addr, peerID, err := ParsePeerParam(req.Arguments()[0])
 		if err != nil {
-			res.SetError(err, cmdkit.ErrNormal)
+			res.SetError(fmt.Errorf("failed to parse peer address '%s': %s", req.Arguments()[0], err), cmdkit.ErrNormal)
+			return
+		}
+
+		if peerID == n.Identity {
+			res.SetError(ErrPingSelf, cmdkit.ErrNormal)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -94,6 +103,10 @@ trip latency information.
 			return
 		}
 
+		if numPings <= 0 {
+			res.SetError(fmt.Errorf("error: ping count must be greater than 0, was %d", numPings), cmdkit.ErrNormal)
+		}
+
 		outChan := pingPeer(ctx, n, peerID, numPings)
 		res.SetOutput(outChan)
 	},
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0041-ping.sh b/test/sharness/t0041-ping.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..44949f75e91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sharness/t0041-ping.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description="Test ping command"
+
+. lib/test-lib.sh
+
+test_init_ipfs
+
+# start iptb + wait for peering
+test_expect_success 'init iptb' '
+  iptb init -n 2 --bootstrap=none --port=0
+'
+
+startup_cluster 2
+
+test_expect_success 'peer ids' '
+  PEERID_0=$(iptb get id 0) &&
+  PEERID_1=$(iptb get id 1)
+'
+
+test_expect_success "test ping other" '
+  ipfsi 0 ping -n2 -- "$PEERID_1" &&
+  ipfsi 1 ping -n2 -- "$PEERID_0"
+'
+
+test_expect_success "test ping self" '
+  ! ipfsi 0 ping -n2 -- "$PEERID_0" &&
+  ! ipfsi 1 ping -n2 -- "$PEERID_1"
+'
+
+test_expect_success "test ping 0" '
+  ! ipfsi 0 ping -n0 -- "$PEERID_1" &&
+  ! ipfsi 1 ping -n0 -- "$PEERID_0"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'stop iptb' '
+  iptb stop
+'
+
+test_done