--- a/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/plugins/ReleaseInfoPlugin.java	Wed Dec 05 11:01:44 2018 +0100
+++ b/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/plugins/ReleaseInfoPlugin.java	Wed Dec 05 19:22:04 2018 +0530
@@ -108,7 +108,11 @@
 
             case "del": {
                 // --release-info del:keys=openjdk,java_version
-                Utils.parseList(config.get(KEYS)).stream().forEach((k) -> {
+                String keys = config.get(KEYS);
+                if (keys == null || keys.isEmpty()) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("No key specified for delete");
+                }
+                Utils.parseList(keys).stream().forEach((k) -> {
                     release.remove(k);
                 });
             }

--- a/test/jdk/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java	Wed Dec 05 11:01:44 2018 +0100
+++ b/test/jdk/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java	Wed Dec 05 19:22:04 2018 +0530
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
  * @summary Test image creation
  * @bug 8189777
  * @bug 8194922
+ * @bug 8206962
  * @author Jean-Francois Denise
  * @requires (vm.compMode != "Xcomp" & os.maxMemory >= 2g)
  * @library ../lib
@@ -344,6 +345,16 @@
                     .option("--help")
                     .call().assertSuccess();
         }
+
+        {
+            String imageDir = "bug8206962";
+            JImageGenerator.getJLinkTask()
+                    .modulePath(helper.defaultModulePath())
+                    .output(helper.createNewImageDir(imageDir))
+                    .addMods("java.base")
+                    .option("--release-info=del")
+                    .call().assertFailure("Error: No key specified for delete");
+        }
     }
 
     private static void testCompress(Helper helper, String moduleName, String... userOptions) throws IOException {