diff --git a/lustre/utils/lmc b/lustre/utils/lmc
index 1f2533ab1467b959646dfa5f946a4db9ffce4c01..d668848a2021cbf346262946f51f6449f898b0d9 100755
--- a/lustre/utils/lmc
+++ b/lustre/utils/lmc
@@ -1081,6 +1081,9 @@ def main():
         for cmd in batchCommands:
             try:
                 options, args = cl.parse(string.split(cmd))
+                if options.merge or options.input or options.output:
+                        print "The batchfile should not contain --merge, --input or --output."
+                        sys.exit(1)
                 do_command(gen, lustre, options, args)
             except OptionError, e:
                 panic(cmd, e)