diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index bb9bffd76b..42e53bd98b 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Mon Dec  9 08:40:40 2013  Eric Hodel  <drbrain@segment7.net>
+
+	* lib/rubygems:  Update to RubyGems master bf37240.  Fixes useless
+	  error message with `gem install -g` with no gem dependencies file.
+	* test/rubygems:  ditto.
+
 Mon Dec  9 04:52:25 2013  Eric Hodel  <drbrain@segment7.net>
 
 	* NEWS:  Update RubyGems entry with notable features.
diff --git a/lib/rubygems/commands/install_command.rb b/lib/rubygems/commands/install_command.rb
index 68a2fad129..d2dd7ac920 100644
--- a/lib/rubygems/commands/install_command.rb
+++ b/lib/rubygems/commands/install_command.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ class Gem::Commands::InstallCommand < Gem::Command
         File.exist? file
       end unless v
 
+      unless v then
+        message = v ? v : "(tried #{Gem::GEM_DEP_FILES.join ', '})"
+
+        raise OptionParser::InvalidArgument,
+                "cannot find gem dependencies file #{message}"
+      end
+
       o[:gemdeps] = v
     end
 
diff --git a/test/rubygems/test_gem_commands_install_command.rb b/test/rubygems/test_gem_commands_install_command.rb
index ed7f72d6a5..32f6fc4237 100644
--- a/test/rubygems/test_gem_commands_install_command.rb
+++ b/test/rubygems/test_gem_commands_install_command.rb
@@ -809,14 +809,22 @@ ERROR:  Possible alternatives: non_existent_with_hint
   end
 
   def test_handle_options_file
+    FileUtils.touch 'Gemfile'
+
     @cmd.handle_options %w[-g Gemfile]
 
     assert_equal 'Gemfile', @cmd.options[:gemdeps]
 
+    FileUtils.rm 'Gemfile'
+
+    FileUtils.touch 'gem.deps.rb'
+
     @cmd.handle_options %w[--file gem.deps.rb]
 
     assert_equal 'gem.deps.rb', @cmd.options[:gemdeps]
 
+    FileUtils.rm 'gem.deps.rb'
+
     FileUtils.touch 'Isolate'
 
     @cmd.handle_options %w[-g]