diff --git a/common/db/db.go b/common/db/db.go
index 8d57c4af3..f9b7cce73 100644
--- a/common/db/db.go
+++ b/common/db/db.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func NewSessionProvider(opts options.ToolOptions) (*SessionProvider, error) {
 	}
 	err = client.Ping(context.Background(), nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to %s: %v", opts.URI.ParsedConnString(), err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to server (opts: %+v): %v", opts, err)
 	}
 
 	// create the provider
diff --git a/common/db/db_test.go b/common/db/db_test.go
index 481c3bee0..b053a8428 100644
--- a/common/db/db_test.go
+++ b/common/db/db_test.go
@@ -77,6 +77,20 @@ func TestNewSessionProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	auth := DBGetAuthOptions()
 	ssl := DBGetSSLOptions()
 	Convey("When initializing a session provider", t, func() {
+		Convey(
+			"the error should return when there’s only a host",
+			func() {
+				opts := options.ToolOptions{
+					Connection: &options.Connection{
+						Host: "localhost:12345",
+					},
+					SSL: &ssl,
+				}
+
+				_, err := NewSessionProvider(opts)
+				So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
+			},
+		)
 
 		Convey("with the standard options, a provider with a standard"+
 			" connector should be returned", func() {
@@ -110,7 +124,6 @@ func TestNewSessionProvider(t *testing.T) {
 			So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 			So(provider.client.Ping(context.Background(), nil), ShouldBeNil)
 		})
-
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/common/options/options.go b/common/options/options.go
index d99cc18a8..c8e8fc1ca 100644
--- a/common/options/options.go
+++ b/common/options/options.go
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ func (opts *ToolOptions) NormalizeOptionsAndURI() error {
 	}
 
 	// finalize auth options, filling in missing passwords
-	if opts.Auth.ShouldAskForPassword() {
+	if opts.Auth != nil && opts.Auth.ShouldAskForPassword() {
 		pass, err := password.Prompt("mongo user")
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error reading password: %v", err)