diff --git a/features/profile-stage.feature b/features/profile-stage.feature
index 99a86b46..0a1152b7 100644
--- a/features/profile-stage.feature
+++ b/features/profile-stage.feature
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@ Feature: Profile the template render stage
       Error: Invalid stage. Must be one of bootstrap, main_query, template, or use --all.
       """
 
+  @require-wp-4.0
+  Scenario: Invalid field name supplied to --fields
+    Given a WP install
+
+    When I try `wp profile stage template --fields=test`
+    Then STDERR should contain:
+      """
+      Invalid field(s): test
+      """
+    And the return code should be 1
+
   @require-wp-4.0
   Scenario: Identify callback_count for each hook
     Given a WP install
diff --git a/src/Formatter.php b/src/Formatter.php
index d09101e4..775db154 100644
--- a/src/Formatter.php
+++ b/src/Formatter.php
@@ -27,11 +27,22 @@ public function __construct( &$assoc_args, $fields = null, $prefix = false ) {
 			$format_args['fields'] = explode( ',', $format_args['fields'] );
 		}
 
-		if ( 'time' !== $fields[0] ) {
-			$this->total_cell_index = array_search( $fields[0], $format_args['fields'], true );
+		$format_args['fields'] = array_filter( array_map( 'trim', $format_args['fields'] ) );
+
+		if ( isset( $assoc_args['fields'] ) ) {
+			if ( empty( $format_args['fields'] ) ) {
+				$format_args['fields'] = $fields;
+			}
+			$invalid_fields = array_diff( $format_args['fields'], $fields );
+			if ( ! empty( $invalid_fields ) ) {
+				\WP_CLI::error( 'Invalid field(s): ' . implode( ', ', $invalid_fields ) );
+			}
 		}
 
-		$format_args['fields'] = array_map( 'trim', $format_args['fields'] );
+		if ( 'time' !== $fields[0] ) {
+			$index                  = array_search( $fields[0], $format_args['fields'], true );
+			$this->total_cell_index = ( false !== $index ) ? $index : null;
+		}
 
 		$this->args      = $format_args;
 		$this->formatter = new \WP_CLI\Formatter( $assoc_args, $fields, $prefix );