--- a/mercurial/commands.py	Sun Feb 19 20:16:11 2017 -0500
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py	Sun Feb 19 15:09:41 2017 -0500
@@ -361,7 +361,6 @@
 
     Returns 0 on success.
     """
-    ui.pager('annotate')
     if not pats:
         raise error.Abort(_('at least one filename or pattern is required'))
 
@@ -422,6 +421,8 @@
     if linenumber and (not opts.get('changeset')) and (not opts.get('number')):
         raise error.Abort(_('at least one of -n/-c is required for -l'))
 
+    ui.pager('annotate')
+
     if fm.isplain():
         def makefunc(get, fmt):
             return lambda x: fmt(get(x))