diff --git a/hoot-test/src/main/cpp/hoot/test/main.cpp b/hoot-test/src/main/cpp/hoot/test/main.cpp
index 38f2bc4c32..b2bcdd87da 100644
--- a/hoot-test/src/main/cpp/hoot/test/main.cpp
+++ b/hoot-test/src/main/cpp/hoot/test/main.cpp
@@ -386,6 +386,40 @@ void populateTests(_TestType t, std::vector<TestPtr>& vTests, bool printDiff,
   }
 }
 
+void usage(char* argv)
+{
+  // keep this alphabetized
+  cout << argv << " Usage:\n"
+          "  --all                      - Run all the tests.\n"
+          "  --all-names                - Print the names of all the tests without running them.\n"
+          "  --case-only                - Run the conflate case tests only.\n"
+          "  --current                  - Run the 'current' level tests.\n"
+          "  --debug                    - Show debug level log messages and above.\n"
+          "  --diff                     - Print a diff when a script test fails.\n"
+          "  --error                    - Show error log level messages and above.\n"
+          "  --exclude=[regex]          - Exclude tests that match the specified regex. e.g. HootTest '--exclude=.*building.*'\n"
+          "  --fatal                    - Show fatal error log level messages only.\n"
+          "  --glacial                  - Run 'glacial' level tests and below.\n"
+          "  --glacial-only             - Run the 'glacial' level tests only.\n"
+          "  --include=[regex]          - Include only tests that match the specified regex. e.g. HootTest '--include=.*building.*'\n"
+          "  --info                     - Show info log level messages and above.\n"
+          "  --quick                    - Run the 'quick' level' tests.\n"
+          "  --quick-only               - Run the 'quick' level tests only.\n"
+          "  --names                    - Show the names of all the tests as they run.\n"
+          "  --parallel [process count] - Run the specified tests in parallel with the specified number of processes. With no process count specified, all available CPU cores are used to launch processes.\n"
+          "  --single [test name]       - Run only the test specified.\n"
+          "  --slow                     - Run the 'slow' level tests and above.\n"
+          "  --slow-only                - Run the 'slow' level tests only.\n"
+          "  --status                   - Show status log level messages and above.\n"
+          "  --suppress-failure-detail  - If a test fails, only show the tests' name and do not show a detailed failure message.\n"
+          "  --trace                    - Show trace log level messages and above.\n"
+          "  --verbose                  - Show verbose log level messages and above.\n"
+          "  --warn                     - Show warning log level messages and above.\n"
+          "\n"
+          "See the Hootenanny Developer Guide for more information.\n"
+          ;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
   // set the Qt hash seed to 0 for consistent test results
@@ -394,36 +428,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   if (argc == 1)
   {
-    // keep this alphabetized
-    cout << argv[0] << " Usage:\n"
-            "--all                      - Run all the tests.\n"
-            "--all-names                - Print the names of all the tests without running them.\n"
-            "--case-only                - Run the conflate case tests only.\n"
-            "--current                  - Run the 'current' level tests.\n"
-            "--debug                    - Show debug level log messages and above.\n"
-            "--diff                     - Print a diff when a script test fails.\n"
-            "--error                    - Show error log level messages and above.\n"
-            "--exclude=[regex]          - Exclude tests that match the specified regex. e.g. HootTest '--exclude=.*building.*'\n"
-            "--fatal                    - Show fatal error log level messages only.\n"
-            "--glacial                  - Run 'glacial' level tests and below.\n"
-            "--glacial-only             - Run the 'glacial' level tests only.\n"
-            "--include=[regex]          - Include only tests that match the specified regex. e.g. HootTest '--include=.*building.*'\n"
-            "--info                     - Show info log level messages and above.\n"
-            "--quick                    - Run the 'quick' level' tests.\n"
-            "--quick-only               - Run the 'quick' level tests only.\n"
-            "--names                    - Show the names of all the tests as they run.\n"
-            "--parallel [process count] - Run the specified tests in parallel with the specified number of processes. With no process count specified, all available CPU cores are used to launch processes.\n"
-            "--single [test name]       - Run only the test specified.\n"
-            "--slow                     - Run the 'slow' level tests and above.\n"
-            "--slow-only                - Run the 'slow' level tests only.\n"
-            "--status                   - Show status log level messages and above.\n"
-            "--suppress-failure-detail  - If a test fails, only show the tests' name and do not show a detailed failure message.\n"
-            "--trace                    - Show trace log level messages and above.\n"
-            "--verbose                  - Show verbose log level messages and above.\n"
-            "--warn                     - Show warning log level messages and above.\n"
-            "\n"
-            "See the Hootenanny Developer Guide for more information.\n"
-            ;
+    usage(argv[0]);
+    return 1;
   }
   else
   {
@@ -602,6 +608,13 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
       cout << "Running core tests.  Test count: " << vTestsToRun.size() << endl;
     }
 
+    //  Error out here is there is no HootTestListener created by this point
+    if (!listener)
+    {
+      usage(argv[0]);
+      return 1;
+    }
+
     if (args.contains("--parallel"))
     {
       double start = Tgs::Time::getTime();