diff --git a/api/queries_issue.go b/api/queries_issue.go
index 3fb20e094..d76e1b79e 100644
--- a/api/queries_issue.go
+++ b/api/queries_issue.go
@@ -41,16 +41,8 @@ const fragments = `
 	}
 `
 
-func IssueCreate(client *Client, ghRepo Repo, params map[string]interface{}) (*Issue, error) {
-	repo, err := GitHubRepo(client, ghRepo)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	if !repo.HasIssuesEnabled {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the '%s/%s' repository has disabled issues", ghRepo.RepoOwner(), ghRepo.RepoName())
-	}
-
+// IssueCreate creates an issue in a GitHub repository
+func IssueCreate(client *Client, repo *Repository, params map[string]interface{}) (*Issue, error) {
 	query := `
 	mutation CreateIssue($input: CreateIssueInput!) {
 		createIssue(input: $input) {
@@ -76,7 +68,7 @@ func IssueCreate(client *Client, ghRepo Repo, params map[string]interface{}) (*I
 		}
 	}{}
 
-	err = client.GraphQL(query, variables, &result)
+	err := client.GraphQL(query, variables, &result)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/command/issue.go b/command/issue.go
index df30b6e52..5383daf41 100644
--- a/command/issue.go
+++ b/command/issue.go
@@ -257,6 +257,14 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	repo, err := api.GitHubRepo(apiClient, baseRepo)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !repo.HasIssuesEnabled {
+		return fmt.Errorf("the '%s/%s' repository has disabled issues", baseRepo.RepoOwner(), baseRepo.RepoName())
+	}
+
 	title, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("title")
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "could not parse title")
@@ -291,7 +299,7 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		"body":  body,
 	}
 
-	newIssue, err := api.IssueCreate(apiClient, baseRepo, params)
+	newIssue, err := api.IssueCreate(apiClient, repo, params)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}