diff --git a/sqlite_utils/cli.py b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
index 46af7ae..5a88bd5 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/cli.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
@@ -2672,11 +2672,20 @@ def _analyze(db, tables, columns, save, common_limit=10, no_most=False, no_least
         tables = db.table_names()
     todo = []
     table_counts = {}
+    seen_columns = set()
     for table in tables:
         table_counts[table] = db[table].count
         for column in db[table].columns:
             if not columns or column.name in columns:
                 todo.append((table, column.name))
+                seen_columns.add(column.name)
+    # Check the user didn't specify a column that doesn't exist
+    if columns and (set(columns) - seen_columns):
+        raise click.ClickException(
+            "These columns were not found: {}".format(
+                ", ".join(sorted(set(columns) - seen_columns))
+            )
+        )
     # Now we now how many we need to do
     for i, (table, column) in enumerate(todo):
         column_details = db[table].analyze_column(
diff --git a/tests/test_analyze_tables.py b/tests/test_analyze_tables.py
index f4559ff..dc90325 100644
--- a/tests/test_analyze_tables.py
+++ b/tests/test_analyze_tables.py
@@ -281,3 +281,40 @@ def test_analyze_table_column_all_nulls(big_db_to_analyze_path):
         "\n"
         "  Distinct values: 0\n\n"
     )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "args,expected_error",
+    (
+        (["-c", "bad_column"], "These columns were not found: bad_column\n"),
+        (["one", "-c", "age"], "These columns were not found: age\n"),
+        (["two", "-c", "age"], None),
+        (
+            ["one", "-c", "age", "--column", "bad"],
+            "These columns were not found: age, bad\n",
+        ),
+    ),
+)
+def test_analyze_table_validate_columns(tmpdir, args, expected_error):
+    path = str(tmpdir / "test_validate_columns.db")
+    db = Database(path)
+    db["one"].insert(
+        {
+            "id": 1,
+            "name": "one",
+        }
+    )
+    db["two"].insert(
+        {
+            "id": 1,
+            "age": 5,
+        }
+    )
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(
+        cli.cli,
+        ["analyze-tables", path] + args,
+        catch_exceptions=False,
+    )
+    assert result.exit_code == (1 if expected_error else 0)
+    if expected_error:
+        assert expected_error in result.output