diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/platform/ansi/ansi_.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/platform/ansi/ansi_.rs
index 19964d3eaa..5021f4fb6f 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/platform/ansi/ansi_.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/platform/ansi/ansi_.rs
@@ -697,12 +697,14 @@ Operating system commands:
         if (escape || osc) && (param_is_valid_string) {
             let code_vec: Vec<char> = code_string.chars().collect();
             if code_vec[0] == '\\' {
+                let span = match call.get_flag_expr("escape") {
+                    Some(expr) => expr.span,
+                    None => call.head,
+                };
+
                 return Err(ShellError::TypeMismatch {
                     err_message: "no need for escape characters".into(),
-                    span: call
-                        .get_flag_expr("escape")
-                        .expect("Unexpected missing argument")
-                        .span,
+                    span,
                 });
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/ansi_.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/ansi_.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c814086cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/ansi_.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use nu_test_support::{nu, pipeline};
+
+#[test]
+fn test_ansi_shows_error_on_escape() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            ansi -e \
+        "#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual.err.contains("no need for escape characters"))
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/mod.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/mod.rs
index e6a8e34748..8cc5658c1b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/platform/mod.rs
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+mod ansi_;
 mod du;
 mod kill;