diff --git a/api/queries_branch_issue_reference.go b/api/queries_branch_issue_reference.go
index 16e36831b..54a9144b0 100644
--- a/api/queries_branch_issue_reference.go
+++ b/api/queries_branch_issue_reference.go
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ func FindRepoBranchID(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, ref string) (string
 
 	branchID := query.Repository.Ref.Target.Oid
 	if branchID == "" {
+		if ref != "" {
+			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("could not find branch %q in %s", ref, ghrepo.FullName(repo))
+		}
 		branchID = query.Repository.DefaultBranchRef.Target.Oid
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop.go b/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop.go
index 32423af35..fa01a3dac 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func NewCmdDevelop(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*DevelopOptions) error) *cobra.
 
 	fl := cmd.Flags()
 	fl.StringVar(&opts.BranchRepo, "branch-repo", "", "Name or URL of the repository where you want to create your new branch")
-	fl.StringVarP(&opts.BaseBranch, "base", "b", "", "Name of the base branch you want to make your new branch from")
+	fl.StringVarP(&opts.BaseBranch, "base", "b", "", "Name of the remote branch you want to make your new branch from")
 	fl.BoolVarP(&opts.Checkout, "checkout", "c", false, "Checkout the branch after creating it")
 	fl.BoolVarP(&opts.List, "list", "l", false, "List linked branches for the issue")
 	fl.StringVarP(&opts.Name, "name", "n", "", "Name of the branch to create")
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop_test.go b/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop_test.go
index 7532ffb38..c35bcb845 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/issue/develop/develop_test.go
@@ -515,6 +515,31 @@ func TestDevelopRun(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expectedOut: "github.com/OWNER/REPO/tree/my-branch\n",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "develop with base branch which does not exist",
+			opts: &DevelopOptions{
+				IssueSelector: "123",
+				BaseBranch:    "does-not-exist-branch",
+			},
+			remotes: map[string]string{
+				"origin": "OWNER/REPO",
+			},
+			httpStubs: func(reg *httpmock.Registry, t *testing.T) {
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.GraphQL(`query LinkedBranchFeature\b`),
+					httpmock.StringResponse(featureEnabledPayload),
+				)
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.GraphQL(`query IssueByNumber\b`),
+					httpmock.StringResponse(`{"data":{"repository":{"hasIssuesEnabled":true,"issue":{"id": "SOMEID","number":123,"title":"my issue"}}}}`),
+				)
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.GraphQL(`query FindRepoBranchID\b`),
+					httpmock.StringResponse(`{"data":{"repository":{"id":"REPOID","defaultBranchRef":{"target":{"oid":"DEFAULTOID"}},"ref":null}}}`),
+				)
+			},
+			wantErr: "could not find branch \"does-not-exist-branch\" in OWNER/REPO",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {