diff --git a/commands/trigger.go b/commands/trigger.go
index 28e06f897..34f7546c2 100644
--- a/commands/trigger.go
+++ b/commands/trigger.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/apache/incubator-openwhisk-cli/wski18n"
 	"github.com/apache/incubator-openwhisk-client-go/whisk"
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ var triggerFireCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 		// TODO get rid of these global modifiers
 		Client.Namespace = qualifiedName.GetNamespace()
-		trigResp, _, err := Client.Triggers.Fire(qualifiedName.GetEntityName(), parameters)
+
+		trigResp, resp, err := Client.Triggers.Fire(qualifiedName.GetEntityName(), parameters)
 		if err != nil {
 			whisk.Debug(whisk.DbgError, "Client.Triggers.Fire(%s, %#v) failed: %s\n", qualifiedName.GetEntityName(), parameters, err)
 			errStr := wski18n.T("Unable to fire trigger '{{.name}}': {{.err}}",
@@ -127,6 +129,16 @@ var triggerFireCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return werr
 		}
 
+		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNoContent {
+			fmt.Fprintf(color.Output,
+				wski18n.T("trigger /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} did not fire as it is not associated with an active rule\n",
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"namespace": boldString(qualifiedName.GetNamespace()),
+						"name":      boldString(qualifiedName.GetEntityName())}))
+
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		fmt.Fprintf(color.Output,
 			wski18n.T("{{.ok}} triggered /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} with id {{.id}}\n",
 				map[string]interface{}{
@@ -134,6 +146,7 @@ var triggerFireCmd = &cobra.Command{
 					"namespace": boldString(qualifiedName.GetNamespace()),
 					"name":      boldString(qualifiedName.GetEntityName()),
 					"id":        boldString(trigResp.ActivationId)}))
+
 		return nil
 	},
 }
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/system/basic/WskCliBasicTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/system/basic/WskCliBasicTests.scala
index db617a63f..fb1e6e2f0 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/system/basic/WskCliBasicTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/system/basic/WskCliBasicTests.scala
@@ -195,12 +195,12 @@ class WskCliBasicTests extends TestHelpers with WskTestHelpers {
     }
 
     val stdout = wsk.action.get(name).stdout
-    stdout should not include regex(""""key": "a"""")
-    stdout should not include regex(""""value": "A"""")
-    stdout should include regex (""""key": "b""")
-    stdout should include regex (""""value": "B"""")
-    stdout should include regex (""""publish": false""")
-    stdout should include regex (""""version": "0.0.2"""")
+    stdout should not include (""""key": "a"""")
+    stdout should not include (""""value": "A"""")
+    stdout should include (""""key": "b""")
+    stdout should include (""""value": "B"""")
+    stdout should include (""""publish": false""")
+    stdout should include (""""version": "0.0.2"""")
     wsk.action.list().stdout should include(name)
   }
 
@@ -749,6 +749,18 @@ class WskCliBasicTests extends TestHelpers with WskTestHelpers {
       }
   }
 
+  it should "display proper error when trigger is not associated with active rule" in withAssetCleaner(wskprops) {
+    val triggerName = withTimestamp("noRuleTrigger")
+
+    (wp, assetHelper) =>
+      assetHelper.withCleaner(wsk.trigger, triggerName) { (trigger, _) =>
+        trigger.create(triggerName)
+      }
+
+      wsk.trigger.fire(triggerName)
+        .stdout should include regex(s"trigger /.*/$triggerName did not fire as it is not associated with an active rule")
+  }
+
   behavior of "Wsk Rule CLI"
 
   it should "create rule, get rule, update rule and list rule" in withAssetCleaner(wskprops) { (wp, assetHelper) =>
diff --git a/wski18n/resources/en_US.all.json b/wski18n/resources/en_US.all.json
index 3e7024ec9..c280be6db 100644
--- a/wski18n/resources/en_US.all.json
+++ b/wski18n/resources/en_US.all.json
@@ -625,6 +625,10 @@
     "id": "{{.ok}} triggered /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} with id {{.id}}\n",
     "translation": "{{.ok}} triggered /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} with id {{.id}}\n"
   },
+  {
+    "id": "trigger /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} did not fire as it is not associated with an active rule\n",
+    "translation": "trigger /{{.namespace}}/{{.name}} did not fire as it is not associated with an active rule\n"
+  },
   {
     "id": "create new trigger",
     "translation": "create new trigger"