diff --git a/src/client/opamCommands.ml b/src/client/opamCommands.ml
index 4e71354a8f2..dd2177a79bb 100644
--- a/src/client/opamCommands.ml
+++ b/src/client/opamCommands.ml
@@ -2199,9 +2199,24 @@ let repository cli =
           (OpamSwitch.to_string (OpamStateConfig.get_switch ()))
           (OpamRepositoryName.to_string name);
       `Ok ()
+    | Some `remove, [] ->
+      OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Not_found
+        "No repository name was given, \
+         please give at least one name in parameter"
     | Some `remove, names ->
       let names = List.map OpamRepositoryName.of_string names in
-      let rm = List.filter (fun n -> not (List.mem n names)) in
+      let seen_repos = ref [] in
+      let rm =
+        List.filter (fun n ->
+          (* TODO: Replace OpamRepositoryCommand.update_selection by
+                   something that does not require dealing with such
+                   horrible reference *)
+          let seen = List.mem n names in
+          if seen then begin
+            seen_repos := n :: !seen_repos;
+          end;
+          not seen)
+      in
       let full_wipe = List.mem `All scope in
       let global = global || full_wipe in
       let gt =
@@ -2220,7 +2235,14 @@ let repository cli =
           "Repositories removed from the selections of switch %s. \
            Use '--all' to forget about them altogether.\n"
           (OpamSwitch.to_string (OpamStateConfig.get_switch ()));
-      `Ok ()
+      begin match List.filter (fun n -> not (List.mem n !seen_repos)) names with
+      | [] -> `Ok ()
+      | not_seen_repos ->
+        List.iter (fun repo ->
+          OpamConsole.error "No repository named %s" (OpamRepositoryName.to_string repo)
+        ) not_seen_repos;
+        OpamStd.Sys.exit_because `Not_found
+      end
     | Some `add, [name] ->
       let name = OpamRepositoryName.of_string name in
       OpamRepositoryState.with_ `Lock_none gt (fun rt ->