diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/pods.go b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/pods.go
index c13af63136..43b789b8f9 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/pods.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/pods.go
@@ -547,6 +547,7 @@ func PodStats(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	options := entities.PodStatsOptions{All: query.All}
 	if err := entities.ValidatePodStatsOptions(query.NamesOrIDs, &options); err != nil {
 		utils.InternalServerError(w, err)
+		return
 	}
 
 	var flush = func() {}
diff --git a/test/apiv2/40-pods.at b/test/apiv2/40-pods.at
index 0e0f1cb18c..f54adeb185 100644
--- a/test/apiv2/40-pods.at
+++ b/test/apiv2/40-pods.at
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ t GET libpod/pods/stats?namesOrIDs=fakename 404 \
   .cause="no such pod" \
   .message="unable to get list of pods: no pod with name or ID fakename found: no such pod"
 
+t GET "libpod/pods/stats?all=true&namesOrIDs=foo" 500 \
+  .cause="--all, --latest and arguments cannot be used together" \
+  .message="--all, --latest and arguments cannot be used together"
+
 t DELETE  libpod/pods/bar?force=true 200
 
 # test the fake name