diff --git a/command/issue.go b/command/issue.go
index 5eed13a13..3c7727e53 100644
--- a/command/issue.go
+++ b/command/issue.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func issueList(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func issueStatus(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ func issueView(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -340,9 +340,13 @@ func issueFromArg(apiClient *api.Client, baseRepo ghrepo.Interface, arg string)
 
 func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	ctx := contextForCommand(cmd)
+	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// NB no auto forking like over in pr create
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -406,11 +410,6 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	fmt.Fprintf(colorableErr(cmd), "\nCreating issue in %s\n\n", ghrepo.FullName(baseRepo))
 
-	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	repo, err := api.GitHubRepo(apiClient, baseRepo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -654,7 +653,7 @@ func issueClose(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -689,7 +688,7 @@ func issueReopen(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/command/pr.go b/command/pr.go
index 2407e0867..ee529aa9f 100644
--- a/command/pr.go
+++ b/command/pr.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func prStatus(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func prList(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ func prView(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	if baseRepo == nil {
-		baseRepo, err = determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+		baseRepo, err = determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func prClose(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func prReopen(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ func prMerge(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/command/pr_checkout.go b/command/pr_checkout.go
index 7da76f6ce..aa9e3afcc 100644
--- a/command/pr_checkout.go
+++ b/command/pr_checkout.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func prCheckout(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	if baseRepo == nil {
-		baseRepo, err = determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+		baseRepo, err = determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/command/pr_review.go b/command/pr_review.go
index d51aaff03..3b1a4ab88 100644
--- a/command/pr_review.go
+++ b/command/pr_review.go
@@ -86,16 +86,16 @@ func processReviewOpt(cmd *cobra.Command) (*api.PullRequestReviewInput, error) {
 
 func prReview(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	ctx := contextForCommand(cmd)
-	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not determine base repo: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not determine base repo: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	var prNum int
 	branchWithOwner := ""
 
diff --git a/command/repo.go b/command/repo.go
index 67e9393ea..ad208a277 100644
--- a/command/repo.go
+++ b/command/repo.go
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ func repoFork(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	var repoToFork ghrepo.Interface
 	inParent := false // whether or not we're forking the repo we're currently "in"
 	if len(args) == 0 {
-		baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+		baseRepo, err := determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("unable to determine base repository: %w", err)
 		}
@@ -490,11 +490,15 @@ var Confirm = func(prompt string, result *bool) error {
 
 func repoView(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	ctx := contextForCommand(cmd)
+	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	var toView ghrepo.Interface
 	if len(args) == 0 {
 		var err error
-		toView, err = determineBaseRepo(cmd, ctx)
+		toView, err = determineBaseRepo(apiClient, cmd, ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -519,10 +523,6 @@ func repoView(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	repo, err := api.GitHubRepo(apiClient, toView)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/command/root.go b/command/root.go
index 8b807e622..6233be957 100644
--- a/command/root.go
+++ b/command/root.go
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func changelogURL(version string) string {
 	return url
 }
 
-func determineBaseRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, ctx context.Context) (ghrepo.Interface, error) {
+func determineBaseRepo(apiClient *api.Client, cmd *cobra.Command, ctx context.Context) (ghrepo.Interface, error) {
 	repo, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("repo")
 	if err == nil && repo != "" {
 		baseRepo, err := ghrepo.FromFullName(repo)
@@ -226,11 +226,6 @@ func determineBaseRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, ctx context.Context) (ghrepo.Interfac
 		return baseRepo, nil
 	}
 
-	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	baseOverride, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("repo")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err