diff --git a/distribution/docker/peon.sh b/distribution/docker/peon.sh
index 3b4dfc4326b9..444aec94e9a2 100755
--- a/distribution/docker/peon.sh
+++ b/distribution/docker/peon.sh
@@ -161,4 +161,8 @@ fi
 # If TASK_JSON is not set, CliPeon will pull the task.json file from deep storage.
 mkdir -p ${TASK_DIR}; [ -n "$TASK_JSON" ] && echo ${TASK_JSON} | base64 -d | gzip -d > ${TASK_DIR}/task.json;
 
-exec bin/run-java ${JAVA_OPTS} -cp $COMMON_CONF_DIR:$SERVICE_CONF_DIR:lib/*: org.apache.druid.cli.Main internal peon --taskId ${TASK_ID} $@
+if [ -n "$TASK_ID" ]; then
+    exec bin/run-java ${JAVA_OPTS} -cp $COMMON_CONF_DIR:$SERVICE_CONF_DIR:lib/*: org.apache.druid.cli.Main internal peon --taskId "${TASK_ID}" "$@"
+else
+    exec bin/run-java ${JAVA_OPTS} -cp $COMMON_CONF_DIR:$SERVICE_CONF_DIR:lib/*: org.apache.druid.cli.Main internal peon "$@"
+fi
diff --git a/services/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/cli/CliPeon.java b/services/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/cli/CliPeon.java
index 307ba269a4f4..3d06ad7dee3e 100644
--- a/services/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/cli/CliPeon.java
+++ b/services/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/cli/CliPeon.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import com.github.rvesse.airline.annotations.Command;
 import com.github.rvesse.airline.annotations.Option;
 import com.github.rvesse.airline.annotations.restrictions.Required;
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import com.google.common.base.Supplier;
 import com.google.common.base.Throwables;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
@@ -234,6 +235,12 @@ protected List<? extends Module> getModules()
           public void configure(Binder binder)
           {
             ServerRunnable.validateCentralizedDatasourceSchemaConfig(getProperties());
+            Preconditions.checkArgument(
+                taskAndStatusFile.size() >= 2,
+                "taskAndStatusFile array should contain 2 or more elements. Current array elements: [%s]",
+                taskAndStatusFile.toString()
+            );
+
             taskDirPath = taskAndStatusFile.get(0);
             attemptId = taskAndStatusFile.get(1);