diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8e358868..747111d6 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 xbps-0.48 (???):
 
+ * xbps-query(1): fail if unused arguments are supplied.
+
  * libxbps: relative cachedir set via xbps.d(5) now work correctly.
    Fixes #117 (https://github.com/voidlinux/xbps/issues/117)
 
diff --git a/bin/xbps-query/main.c b/bin/xbps-query/main.c
index 803b0521..3a28fa17 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-query/main.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-query/main.c
@@ -221,7 +221,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	} else if (!opmode) {
 		/* show mode by default */
 		show = opmode = true;
-		pkg = *argv;
+		pkg = *(argv++);
+		argc--;
+	}
+	if (argc) {
+		/* trailing parameters */
+		usage(true);
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Initialize libxbps.