diff --git a/visidata/clipboard.py b/visidata/clipboard.py
index c85b17b67..649eb0c9d 100644
--- a/visidata/clipboard.py
+++ b/visidata/clipboard.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ def pasteFromClipboard(vd, cols, rows):
 
 @Sheet.api
 def delete_row(sheet, rowidx):
+    if not sheet.rows:
+        vd.fail("no row to delete")
     if not sheet.defer:
         oldrow = sheet.rows.pop(rowidx)
         vd.addUndo(sheet.rows.insert, rowidx, oldrow)