diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -4645,6 +4645,9 @@
         if not revs:
             raise error.Abort(_('default push revset for path evaluates to an '
                                 'empty set'))
+    elif ui.configbool('commands', 'push.require-revs'):
+        raise error.Abort(_('no revisions specified to push'),
+                          hint=_('did you mean "hg push -r ."?'))
 
     repo._subtoppath = dest
     try:
diff --git a/mercurial/configitems.py b/mercurial/configitems.py
--- a/mercurial/configitems.py
+++ b/mercurial/configitems.py
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@
     default=False,
     experimental=True,
 )
+coreconfigitem('commands', 'push.require-revs',
+    default=False,
+)
 coreconfigitem('commands', 'resolve.confirm',
     default=False,
 )
diff --git a/mercurial/help/config.txt b/mercurial/help/config.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/config.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/config.txt
@@ -442,6 +442,14 @@
     Show status of files in the working directory after successful commit.
     (default: False)
 
+``push.require-revs``
+    Require revisions to push be specified using one or more mechanisms such as
+    specifying them positionally on the command line, using ``-r``, ``-b``,
+    and/or ``-B`` on the command line, or using ``paths.<path>:pushrev`` in the
+    configuration. If this is enabled and revisions are not specified, the
+    command aborts.
+    (default: False)
+
 ``resolve.confirm``
     Confirm before performing action if no filename is passed.
     (default: False)
diff --git a/tests/test-push.t b/tests/test-push.t
--- a/tests/test-push.t
+++ b/tests/test-push.t
@@ -348,3 +348,55 @@
   [255]
 
   $ [ ! -f owned ] || echo 'you got owned'
+
+Test `commands.push.require-revs`
+---------------------------------
+
+  $ hg clone -q test-revflag test-require-revs-source
+  $ hg init test-require-revs-dest
+  $ cd test-require-revs-source
+  $ cat >> .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > default = ../test-require-revs-dest
+  > [commands]
+  > push.require-revs=1
+  > EOF
+  $ hg push
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  abort: no revisions specified to push
+  (did you mean "hg push -r ."?)
+  [255]
+  $ hg push -r 0
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  searching for changes
+  adding changesets
+  adding manifests
+  adding file changes
+  added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
+  $ hg bookmark -r 0 push-this-bookmark
+(test that -B (bookmark) works for specifying "revs")
+  $ hg push -B push-this-bookmark
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  searching for changes
+  no changes found
+  exporting bookmark push-this-bookmark
+  [1]
+(test that -b (branch)  works for specifying "revs")
+  $ hg push -b default
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  searching for changes
+  abort: push creates new remote head [0-9a-f]+! (re)
+  (merge or see 'hg help push' for details about pushing new heads)
+  [255]
+(demonstrate that even though we don't have anything to exchange, we're still
+showing the error)
+  $ hg push
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  abort: no revisions specified to push
+  (did you mean "hg push -r ."?)
+  [255]
+  $ hg push --config paths.default:pushrev=0
+  pushing to $TESTTMP/test-require-revs-dest
+  searching for changes
+  no changes found
+  [1]