diff --git a/plugins/User/plugin.py b/plugins/User/plugin.py
index a2167d541..2500b94d6 100644
--- a/plugins/User/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/User/plugin.py
@@ -246,8 +246,11 @@ class User(callbacks.Plugin):
             """
             def getHostmasks(user):
                 hostmasks = map(repr, user.hostmasks)
-                hostmasks.sort()
-                return format('%L', hostmasks)
+                if hostmasks:
+                    hostmasks.sort()
+                    return format('%L', hostmasks)
+                else:
+                    irc.reply(format('%s has no registered hostmasks.', user))
             try:
                 user = ircdb.users.getUser(msg.prefix)
                 if name:
diff --git a/plugins/User/test.py b/plugins/User/test.py
index a93046618..a46dd44e9 100644
--- a/plugins/User/test.py
+++ b/plugins/User/test.py
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@ class UserTestCase(PluginTestCase):
         self.assertNotError('hostmask add foo')
         self.assertNotRegexp('hostmask add foo', 'IrcSet')
 
+    def testHostmaskListHandlesEmptyListGracefully(self):
+        self.assertError('hostmask list')
+        self.prefix = self.prefix1
+        self.assertNotError('register foo bar')
+        self.assertNotError('hostmask remove foo %s' % self.prefix1)
+        self.assertNotError('identify foo bar')
+        self.assertRegexp('hostmask list', 'no registered hostmasks')
+        
+
     def testHostmask(self):
         self.assertResponse('hostmask', self.prefix)
         self.assertError('@hostmask asdf')