diff --git a/moto/ec2/models.py b/moto/ec2/models.py
index f90ceae9f..e3342c8c8 100755
--- a/moto/ec2/models.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/models.py
@@ -632,6 +632,8 @@ class InstanceBackend(object):
 
     def terminate_instances(self, instance_ids):
         terminated_instances = []
+        if not instance_ids:
+            raise EC2ClientError("InvalidParameterCombination", "No instances specified")
         for instance in self.get_multi_instances_by_id(instance_ids):
             instance.terminate()
             terminated_instances.append(instance)
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index 58b1f693a..e3959d8e0 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ def test_instance_launch_and_terminate():
     instance = reservations[0].instances[0]
     instance.state.should.equal('terminated')
 
+
+@mock_ec2
+def test_terminate_empty_instances():
+    conn = boto.connect_ec2('the_key', 'the_secret')
+    conn.terminate_instances.when.called_with([]).should.throw(EC2ResponseError)
+
+
 @freeze_time("2014-01-01 05:00:00")
 @mock_ec2
 def test_instance_attach_volume():
@@ -330,6 +337,7 @@ def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag():
     reservations[0].instances[0].id.should.equal(instance1.id)
     reservations[0].instances[1].id.should.equal(instance3.id)
 
+
 @mock_ec2
 def test_get_instances_filtering_by_tag_value():
     conn = boto.connect_ec2()