diff --git a/commands/command_status.go b/commands/command_status.go
index 47bec0ca..649574f5 100644
--- a/commands/command_status.go
+++ b/commands/command_status.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ var (
 
 func statusCommand(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	requireInRepo()
+	requireWorkingCopy()
 
 	// tolerate errors getting ref so this works before first commit
 	ref, _ := git.CurrentRef()
diff --git a/commands/commands.go b/commands/commands.go
index bcffb7bd..e7e351de 100644
--- a/commands/commands.go
+++ b/commands/commands.go
@@ -309,6 +309,22 @@ func requireInRepo() {
 	}
 }
 
+// requireWorkingCopy requires that the working directory be a work tree, i.e.,
+// that it not be bare. If it is bare (or the state of the repository could not
+// be determined), this function will terminate the program.
+func requireWorkingCopy() {
+	bare, err := git.IsBare()
+	if err != nil {
+		ExitWithError(errors.Wrap(
+			err, "fatal: could not determine bareness"))
+	}
+
+	if bare {
+		Print("This operation must be run in a work tree.")
+		os.Exit(128)
+	}
+}
+
 func handlePanic(err error) string {
 	if err == nil {
 		return ""
diff --git a/docs/man/git-lfs-status.1.ronn b/docs/man/git-lfs-status.1.ronn
index 4fe533db..8a37e723 100644
--- a/docs/man/git-lfs-status.1.ronn
+++ b/docs/man/git-lfs-status.1.ronn
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ Display paths of Git LFS objects that
 * have differences between the working tree and the index file.  These
   are files that could be staged using `git add`.
 
+This command must be run in a non-bare repository.
+
 ## OPTIONS
 
 * `--porcelain`:
diff --git a/t/t-status.sh b/t/t-status.sh
index 0ce4c546..b55194b3 100755
--- a/t/t-status.sh
+++ b/t/t-status.sh
@@ -448,3 +448,19 @@ Git LFS objects not staged for commit:"
   [ "$expected" = "$(git lfs status)" ]
 )
 end_test
+
+begin_test "status (without a working copy)"
+(
+  reponame="status-no-working-copy.git"
+
+  git init --bare "$reponame"
+  cd "$reponame"
+
+  git lfs status 2>&1 | tee status.log
+  if [ "0" -eq "${PIPESTATUS[0]}" ]; then
+    echo >&2 "git lfs status should have failed, didn't ..."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  [ "This operation must be run in a work tree." = "$(cat status.log)" ]
+)
+end_test