diff --git a/internal/cmd/api-key/command_store.go b/internal/cmd/api-key/command_store.go
index d28d3ac53f..d8d3163413 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/api-key/command_store.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/api-key/command_store.go
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ func (c *command) store(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	} else {
 		cluster, err = c.Context.GetKafkaClusterForCommand()
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			// Replace the error msg since it suggests flags which are unavailable with this command
+			return errors.NewErrorWithSuggestions(errors.NoKafkaSelectedErrorMsg, errors.APIKeyNotValidForClusterSuggestions)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/errors/error_message.go b/internal/pkg/errors/error_message.go
index e9681f81a4..78f873021e 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/errors/error_message.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/errors/error_message.go
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ const (
 	KafkaNotReadyErrorMsg         = `Kafka cluster "%s" not ready`
 	KafkaNotReadySuggestions      = "It may take up to 5 minutes for a recently created Kafka cluster to be ready."
 	NoKafkaSelectedErrorMsg       = "no Kafka cluster selected"
-	NoKafkaSelectedSuggestions    = "You must pass `--cluster` or `--resource` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`."
+	NoKafkaSelectedSuggestions    = "You must pass `--cluster` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`."
 	NoKafkaForDescribeSuggestions = "You must provide the cluster ID argument or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `ccloud kafka cluster use`."
 	NoAPISecretStoredErrorMsg     = `no API secret for API key "%s" of resource "%s" stored in local CLI state`
 	NoAPISecretStoredSuggestions  = "Store the API secret with `confluent api-key store %s --resource %s`."
diff --git a/test/fixtures/output/kafka/client-config/no-cluster.golden b/test/fixtures/output/kafka/client-config/no-cluster.golden
index 1730daaf75..916bd7ca74 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/output/kafka/client-config/no-cluster.golden
+++ b/test/fixtures/output/kafka/client-config/no-cluster.golden
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 Error: no Kafka cluster selected
 
 Suggestions:
-    You must pass `--cluster` or `--resource` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`.
+    You must pass `--cluster` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`.
diff --git a/test/fixtures/output/login/err-no-kafka.golden b/test/fixtures/output/login/err-no-kafka.golden
index 1730daaf75..916bd7ca74 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/output/login/err-no-kafka.golden
+++ b/test/fixtures/output/login/err-no-kafka.golden
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 Error: no Kafka cluster selected
 
 Suggestions:
-    You must pass `--cluster` or `--resource` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`.
+    You must pass `--cluster` with the command or set an active Kafka cluster in your context with `confluent kafka cluster use`.