diff --git a/src/os/exec/exec.go b/src/os/exec/exec.go
index 845b737e28fc7..ecddee690de7c 100644
--- a/src/os/exec/exec.go
+++ b/src/os/exec/exec.go
@@ -374,6 +374,9 @@ func lookExtensions(path, dir string) (string, error) {
 // The Wait method will return the exit code and release associated resources
 // once the command exits.
 func (c *Cmd) Start() error {
+	if c.Path == "" && c.lookPathErr == nil {
+		c.lookPathErr = errors.New("exec: no command")
+	}
 	if c.lookPathErr != nil {
 		c.closeDescriptors(c.closeAfterStart)
 		c.closeDescriptors(c.closeAfterWait)
diff --git a/src/os/exec/exec_test.go b/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
index 73aa35f1aed1f..1913ae81c8976 100644
--- a/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
+++ b/src/os/exec/exec_test.go
@@ -1081,3 +1081,11 @@ func TestChildCriticalEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("no SYSTEMROOT found")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNoPath(t *testing.T) {
+	err := new(exec.Cmd).Start()
+	want := "exec: no command"
+	if err == nil || err.Error() != want {
+		t.Errorf("new(Cmd).Start() = %v, want %q", err, want)
+	}
+}