diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 89053ac25..db58b4d20 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
         # we make sure the GUI is refreshed here, so the start seems faster.
         self.processEvents(QEventLoop.ExcludeUserInputEvents |
                            QEventLoop.ExcludeSocketNotifiers)
-        opened_urls = False
 
         for e in self._args.command:
             if e.startswith(':'):
@@ -204,10 +203,9 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
                 self.commandparser.run(e.lstrip(':'))
             else:
                 logging.debug('Startup url {}'.format(e))
-                opened_urls = True
                 self.mainwindow.tabs.tabopen(e)
 
-        if not opened_urls:
+        if self.mainwindow.tabs.count() == 0:
             logging.debug('Opening startpage')
             for url in config.config.get('general', 'startpage').split(','):
                 self.mainwindow.tabs.tabopen(url)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
index 224e1062a..faa85c110 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/browser.py
@@ -365,7 +365,15 @@ class TabbedBrowser(TabWidget):
 
         """
         tab = self._widget(count)
-        if tab is not None:
+        if tab is None:
+            if count is None:
+                # We want to open an URL in the current tab, but none exists
+                # yet.
+                self.tabopen(url)
+            else:
+                # Explicit count with a tab that doesn't exist.
+                return
+        else:
             tab.openurl(url)
 
     def cur_reload(self, count=None):