diff --git a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index 52e466018..51301965d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ Changed
 - `:hint` has a new `--add-history` argument to add the URL to the history for
   yank/spawn targets.
 - `:set` now cycles through values if more than one argument is given.
+- `:open` now opens `default-page` without an URL even without `-t`/`-b`/`-w` given.
 
 Deprecated
 ~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
index c13cde990..97fc8c186 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
@@ -257,13 +257,10 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
             count: The tab index to open the URL in, or None.
         """
         if url is None:
-            if tab or bg or window:
-                urls = [config.get('general', 'default-page')]
-            else:
-                raise cmdexc.CommandError("No URL given, but -t/-b/-w is not "
-                                          "set!")
+            urls = [config.get('general', 'default-page')]
         else:
             urls = self._parse_url_input(url)
+
         for i, cur_url in enumerate(urls):
             if not window and i > 0:
                 tab = False
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
index 3f6715e6a..89d6c9aa2 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ Feature: Opening pages
                 - active: true
                   url: http://localhost:*/data/numbers/1.txt
 
-    Scenario: :open without URL and no -t/-b/-w
-        When I run :open
-        Then the error "No URL given, but -t/-b/-w is not set!" should be shown
+    Scenario: :open without URL
+        When I set general -> default-page to http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/11.txt
+        And I run :open
+        Then data/numbers/11.txt should be loaded
 
     Scenario: :open without URL and -t
         When I set general -> default-page to http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/2.txt