diff --git a/tools/tool.cpp b/tools/tool.cpp
index fc91f4a1195..1a7a6a3c389 100644
--- a/tools/tool.cpp
+++ b/tools/tool.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ namespace mongo {
             ;
         if ( localDBAllowed )
             _options->add_options()
-                ("dbpath",po::value<string>(), "directly access mongod data files in the given path, instead of connecting to a mongod instance - needs to lock the data directory, so cannot be used if a mongod is currently accessing the same path" )
+                ("dbpath",po::value<string>(), "directly access mongod data "
+                 "files in the given path, instead of connecting to a mongod "
+                 "instance - needs to lock the data directory, so cannot be "
+                 "used if a mongod is currently accessing the same path" )
                 ("directoryperdb", "if dbpath specified, each db is in a separate directory" )
                 ;
 
@@ -157,7 +160,17 @@ namespace mongo {
             _host = "DIRECT";
             static string myDbpath = getParam( "dbpath" );
             dbpath = myDbpath.c_str();
-            acquirePathLock();
+            try {
+                acquirePathLock();
+            }
+            catch ( DBException& e ){
+                cerr << endl << "If you are running a mongod on the same "
+                    "path you should connect to that instead of direct data "
+                    "file access" << endl << endl;
+                dbexit( EXIT_CLEAN );
+                return -1;
+            }
+
             theFileAllocator().start();
         }