diff --git a/apps/zasm/instr.asm b/apps/zasm/instr.asm
index e13ece3..2971c6a 100644
--- a/apps/zasm/instr.asm
+++ b/apps/zasm/instr.asm
@@ -806,9 +806,9 @@ parseInstruction:
 	ld	a, INSTR_TBL_ROWSIZE
 	call	addDE
 	djnz	.loop
-	; no match
-	xor	a
-	jr	.end
+	; No signature match
+	ld	a, ERR_BAD_ARG
+	jr	.error
 .match:
 	; We have our matching instruction row. We're getting pretty near our
 	; goal here!
diff --git a/tools/tests/zasm/errtests.sh b/tools/tests/zasm/errtests.sh
index c70d8a3..c323c4b 100755
--- a/tools/tests/zasm/errtests.sh
+++ b/tools/tests/zasm/errtests.sh
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ chkerr() {
 
 chkerr "foo" 1
 chkerr "ld a, foo" 2
+chkerr "ld a, hl" 2
 chkerr "ld a," 3
 chkerr "ld a, 'A" 3