diff --git a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/add.go b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/add.go
index 72da863de..53759acfb 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/add.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/add.go
@@ -85,12 +85,6 @@ func runAdd(opts *AddOptions) error {
 
 	err = SSHKeyUpload(httpClient, hostname, keyReader, opts.Title)
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, scopesError) {
-			cs := opts.IO.ColorScheme()
-			fmt.Fprint(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Error: insufficient OAuth scopes to list SSH keys\n")
-			fmt.Fprintf(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Run the following to grant scopes: %s\n", cs.Bold("gh auth refresh -s write:public_key"))
-			return cmdutil.SilentError
-		}
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/http.go b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/http.go
index c85b00c2a..28a70acc8 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/http.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/add/http.go
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cli/cli/v2/internal/ghinstance"
 )
 
-var scopesError = errors.New("insufficient OAuth scopes")
-
 func SSHKeyUpload(httpClient *http.Client, hostname string, keyFile io.Reader, title string) error {
 	url := ghinstance.RESTPrefix(hostname) + "user/keys"
 
@@ -43,9 +41,7 @@ func SSHKeyUpload(httpClient *http.Client, hostname string, keyFile io.Reader, t
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
-	if resp.StatusCode == 404 {
-		return scopesError
-	} else if resp.StatusCode > 299 {
+	if resp.StatusCode > 299 {
 		var httpError api.HTTPError
 		err := api.HandleHTTPError(resp)
 		if errors.As(err, &httpError) && isDuplicateError(&httpError) {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/http.go b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/http.go
index 9a6d6fc0e..539e55bac 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/http.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/http.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package list
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
@@ -12,8 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cli/cli/v2/internal/ghinstance"
 )
 
-var scopesError = errors.New("insufficient OAuth scopes")
-
 type sshKey struct {
 	Key       string
 	Title     string
@@ -37,9 +34,7 @@ func userKeys(httpClient *http.Client, host, userHandle string) ([]sshKey, error
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
-	if resp.StatusCode == 404 {
-		return nil, scopesError
-	} else if resp.StatusCode > 299 {
+	if resp.StatusCode > 299 {
 		return nil, api.HandleHTTPError(resp)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/list.go b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/list.go
index fc35cf650..e743f2818 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/list.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/ssh-key/list/list.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package list
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
@@ -59,12 +58,6 @@ func listRun(opts *ListOptions) error {
 
 	sshKeys, err := userKeys(apiClient, host, "")
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, scopesError) {
-			cs := opts.IO.ColorScheme()
-			fmt.Fprint(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Error: insufficient OAuth scopes to list SSH keys\n")
-			fmt.Fprintf(opts.IO.ErrOut, "Run the following to grant scopes: %s\n", cs.Bold("gh auth refresh -s read:public_key"))
-			return cmdutil.SilentError
-		}
 		return err
 	}