diff --git a/pkg/cmd/repo/list/list_test.go b/pkg/cmd/repo/list/list_test.go
index e6fb918d0..3a02cbb22 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/repo/list/list_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/repo/list/list_test.go
@@ -452,3 +452,40 @@ func TestRepoList_noVisibilityField(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "", stderr.String())
 	assert.Equal(t, "", stdout.String())
 }
+
+func TestRepoList_invalidOwner(t *testing.T) {
+	ios, _, stdout, stderr := iostreams.Test()
+	ios.SetStdoutTTY(false)
+	ios.SetStdinTTY(false)
+	ios.SetStderrTTY(false)
+
+	reg := &httpmock.Registry{}
+	defer reg.Verify(t)
+
+	reg.Register(
+		httpmock.GraphQL(`query RepositoryList\b`),
+		httpmock.StringResponse(`{ "data": { "repositoryOwner": null } }`),
+	)
+
+	opts := ListOptions{
+		Owner: "nonexist",
+		IO:    ios,
+		HttpClient: func() (*http.Client, error) {
+			return &http.Client{Transport: reg}, nil
+		},
+		Config: func() (config.Config, error) {
+			return config.NewBlankConfig(), nil
+		},
+		Now: func() time.Time {
+			t, _ := time.Parse(time.RFC822, "19 Feb 21 15:00 UTC")
+			return t
+		},
+		Limit:    30,
+		Detector: &fd.DisabledDetectorMock{},
+	}
+
+	err := listRun(&opts)
+	assert.EqualError(t, err, `the owner handle "nonexist" was not recognized as either a GitHub user or an organization`)
+	assert.Equal(t, "", stderr.String())
+	assert.Equal(t, "", stdout.String())
+}