diff --git a/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php b/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
index 354acea1..9e48c479 100644
--- a/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
+++ b/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ class Net_SCP
             return false;
         }
 
+        if (empty($remote_file)) {
+            user_error('remote_file cannot be blank', E_USER_NOTICE);
+            return false;
+        }
+
         if (!$this->ssh->exec('scp -t ' . escapeshellarg($remote_file), false)) { // -t = to
             return false;
         }