diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/issue-4975 b/changelog/unreleased/issue-4975
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e29935f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/issue-4975
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Bugfix: Prevent `backup --stdin-from-command` from panicking
+
+If --stdin-from-command is used, restic now checks whether there is a command behind it.
+
+https://github.com/restic/restic/issues/4975
+https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/4976
diff --git a/internal/fs/fs_reader_command.go b/internal/fs/fs_reader_command.go
index 3830e5811..6d061f641 100644
--- a/internal/fs/fs_reader_command.go
+++ b/internal/fs/fs_reader_command.go
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ type CommandReader struct {
 }
 
 func NewCommandReader(ctx context.Context, args []string, logOutput io.Writer) (*CommandReader, error) {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no command was specified as argument")
+	}
+
 	// Prepare command and stdout
 	command := exec.CommandContext(ctx, args[0], args[1:]...)
 	stdout, err := command.StdoutPipe()
diff --git a/internal/fs/fs_reader_command_test.go b/internal/fs/fs_reader_command_test.go
index a9028544c..8f0d17b1e 100644
--- a/internal/fs/fs_reader_command_test.go
+++ b/internal/fs/fs_reader_command_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ func TestCommandReaderInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	test.Assert(t, err != nil, "missing error")
 }
 
+func TestCommandReaderEmptyArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := fs.NewCommandReader(context.TODO(), []string{}, io.Discard)
+	test.Assert(t, err != nil, "missing error")
+}
+
 func TestCommandReaderOutput(t *testing.T) {
 	reader, err := fs.NewCommandReader(context.TODO(), []string{"echo", "hello world"}, io.Discard)
 	test.OK(t, err)