diff --git a/django/bin/django-admin.py b/django/bin/django-admin.py
index 89297d4cf9..c66d195ae5 100755
--- a/django/bin/django-admin.py
+++ b/django/bin/django-admin.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def main():
     try:
         action = args[0]
     except IndexError:
-        print_error("An action is required.", sys.argv[0])
+        parser.print_usage_and_exit()
     if not ACTION_MAPPING.has_key(action):
         print_error("Your action, %r, was invalid." % action, sys.argv[0])
     if action in ('createsuperuser', 'init', 'validate'):