diff --git a/sdk/test-utils/perf/CHANGELOG.md b/sdk/test-utils/perf/CHANGELOG.md
index afeb283f93f5..88fedc4f879d 100644
--- a/sdk/test-utils/perf/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/sdk/test-utils/perf/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 ## 1.0.0 (Unreleased)
 
+### 2021-11-15
+
+- Throw an error when an unrecognized command-line argument is encountered
+  [#18708](https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-js/pull/18708)
+
 ### 2021-10-29
 
 - Add an elapsed time column to the snapshot log output.
diff --git a/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/options.ts b/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/options.ts
index a61db08c9b84..6b99e3cd0cae 100644
--- a/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/options.ts
+++ b/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/options.ts
@@ -167,6 +167,34 @@ export function parsePerfOption<TOptions>(
   return result as Required<PerfOptionDictionary<TOptions>>;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Validate that the provided command-line options are all recognized, throwing an error if an unrecognized
+ * option is provided.
+ *
+ * @param options A dictionary of options which should be passed.
+ */
+export function validateOptions<TOptions>(options: PerfOptionDictionary<TOptions>): void {
+  const minimistResult: MinimistParsedArgs = minimist(
+    process.argv,
+    getBooleanOptionDetails(options)
+  );
+
+  const longNames = Object.entries<OptionDetails<unknown>>(options).map(
+    ([optionName, { longName }]) => longName ?? optionName
+  );
+  const shortNames = Object.values<OptionDetails<unknown>>(options)
+    .map(({ shortName }) => shortName)
+    .filter(Boolean);
+
+  // include _ and -- as these may be present in the MinimistParsedArgs object
+  const acceptedOptions = ["_", "--", ...longNames, ...shortNames];
+  const unknownOptions = Object.keys(minimistResult).filter((x) => !acceptedOptions.includes(x));
+
+  if (unknownOptions.length !== 0) {
+    throw new Error(`Encountered invalid options: ${unknownOptions.join(", ")}`);
+  }
+}
+
 function getBooleanOptionDetails<TOptions>(options: PerfOptionDictionary<TOptions>) {
   let booleanProps: { boolean: string[]; default: { [key: string]: boolean } } = {
     boolean: [],
diff --git a/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/tests.ts b/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/tests.ts
index eb2d12c57461..8c2f118911a9 100644
--- a/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/tests.ts
+++ b/sdk/test-utils/perf/src/tests.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ import {
   PerfOptionDictionary,
   parsePerfOption,
   DefaultPerfOptions,
-  defaultPerfOptions
+  defaultPerfOptions,
+  validateOptions
 } from "./options";
 import {
   TestProxyHttpClient,
@@ -54,6 +55,12 @@ export abstract class PerfTest<TOptions = {}> {
   }
 
   public get parsedOptions(): PerfOptionDictionary<TOptions & DefaultPerfOptions> {
+    // Only validate the options if they are defined: if (when) parsedOptions is called
+    // in the constructor, options will be undefined.
+    if (this.options) {
+      validateOptions({ ...this.options, ...defaultPerfOptions });
+    }
+
     // This cast is needed because TS thinks
     //   PerfOptionDictionary<TOptions & DefaultPerfOptions>
     //   is different from