diff --git a/codespell_lib/_codespell.py b/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
index 7065e0b4d39..5bf34f4cd8d 100644
--- a/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
+++ b/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
@@ -863,7 +863,14 @@ def main(*args):
 
     file_opener = FileOpener(options.hard_encoding_detection,
                              options.quiet_level)
+
     glob_match = GlobMatch(options.skip)
+    try:
+        glob_match.match("/random/path")  # does not need a real path
+    except re.error:
+        print("ERROR: --skip/-S has been fed an invalid glob",
+              file=sys.stderr)
+        return EX_USAGE
 
     bad_count = 0
     for filename in options.files:
diff --git a/codespell_lib/tests/test_basic.py b/codespell_lib/tests/test_basic.py
index bbf2ea47ddb..6165e63a85e 100644
--- a/codespell_lib/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/codespell_lib/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -120,9 +120,23 @@ def test_basic(tmpdir, capsys):
     assert cs.main(d) == 0
 
     # empty directory
-    os.mkdir(op.join(d, 'test'))
+    os.mkdir(op.join(d, 'empty'))
     assert cs.main(d) == 0
 
+    g = op.join(d, 'glob')
+    os.mkdir(g)
+    fname = op.join(g, '[b-a].txt')
+    with open(fname, 'a') as f:
+        f.write('errror\n')
+    code, _, stderr = cs.main('--skip', '[b-a].txt',
+                              fname, std=True)
+    assert code == EX_USAGE, 'invalid glob'
+    assert 'invalid glob' in stderr
+    assert cs.main(g) == 1
+    assert cs.main('--skip', '[[]b-a[]].txt', g) == 0
+    os.remove(fname)
+    os.rmdir(g)
+
 
 def test_interactivity(tmpdir, capsys):
     """Test interaction"""