diff --git a/pkg/cmd/repo/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/repo/create/create.go
index d43b30f24..fb37e27ed 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/repo/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/repo/create/create.go
@@ -75,10 +75,11 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Co
 
 			if !opts.IO.CanPrompt() {
 				if opts.Name == "" {
-					return &cmdutil.FlagError{Err: errors.New("must pass name argument when not running interactively")}
+					return &cmdutil.FlagError{Err: errors.New("name argument required when not running interactively")}
 				}
+
 				if !opts.Internal && !opts.Private && !opts.Public {
-					opts.Public = true
+					return &cmdutil.FlagError{Err: errors.New("--public, --private, or --internal required when not running interactively")}
 				}
 			}