diff --git a/src/misc2.c b/src/misc2.c
index 2436f9f..8e01434 100644
--- a/src/misc2.c
+++ b/src/misc2.c
@@ -2953,6 +2953,7 @@
 
 	    for (i = 0; i < *argc; ++i)
 		VIM_CLEAR((*argv)[i]);
+	    (*argv)[0] = NULL;
 	    return FAIL;
 	}
 	(*argv)[*argc] = (char *)vim_strsave(s);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index fa510c7..fbe6a84 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -2362,5 +2362,9 @@
   augroup END
 endfunc
 
+func Test_job_start_with_invalid_argument()
+  call assert_fails('call job_start([0zff])', 'E976:')
+endfunc
+
 
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index fa64466..96e7606 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -758,6 +758,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    3479,
+/**/
     3478,
 /**/
     3477,