diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/DBobjectdefs.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/DBobjectdefs.pm
index ae64092ef..52e5b5845 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/DBobjectdefs.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/DBobjectdefs.pm
@@ -1676,6 +1676,24 @@ sub defmk
         $error = 1;
     }
 
+    # If no object definitions ended up in FINALATTRS, there is nothing to create
+    if (!$error && !%::FINALATTRS)
+    {
+        my $rsp;
+        my $is_node_type = (grep { $_ eq "node" } @::finalTypeList) ||
+                           ($::opt_t && $::opt_t =~ /\bnode\b/);
+        if ($is_node_type)
+        {
+            $rsp->{data}->[0] = "No object definitions have been created or modified: no attributes were specified. The \'groups\' attribute is required when creating node definitions.";
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            $rsp->{data}->[0] = "No object definitions have been created or modified: no attributes were specified.";
+        }
+        xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E", $rsp, $::callback);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     # we need a list of objects that are
     #    already defined for each type.
     foreach my $t (@::finalTypeList)
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases0 b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases0
index 832b02956..16a18eefe 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases0
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/mkdef/cases0
@@ -411,3 +411,34 @@ check:rc==0
 cmd:rmdef -t osimage -o rhels7.3-test
 check:rc==0
 end
+
+start:mkdef_node_no_attrs
+description:mkdef -t node with no attributes should fail and mention groups
+label:mn_only,ci_test,db
+cmd:mkdef -t node -o testnode_noattr
+check:rc!=0
+check:output=~groups
+cmd:lsdef testnode_noattr
+check:rc!=0
+end
+
+start:mkdef_node_no_groups
+description:mkdef -t node with attributes but no groups should fail
+label:mn_only,ci_test,db
+cmd:mkdef -t node -o testnode_nogrp ip=10.0.0.99
+check:rc!=0
+check:output=~groups
+cmd:lsdef testnode_nogrp
+check:rc!=0
+cmd:rmdef -t node -o testnode_nogrp
+end
+
+start:mkdef_nonnode_no_attrs
+description:mkdef with non-node type and no attributes should fail with generic message
+label:mn_only,ci_test,db
+cmd:mkdef -t network -o testnet_noattr
+check:rc!=0
+check:output=~no attributes were specified
+cmd:rmdef -t network -o testnet_noattr
+end
+