diff --git a/pkg/cmd/issue/shared/lookup.go b/pkg/cmd/issue/shared/lookup.go
index 675574f7c..6e716f6da 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/issue/shared/lookup.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/issue/shared/lookup.go
@@ -14,14 +14,6 @@ import (
 func IssueFromArg(apiClient *api.Client, baseRepoFn func() (ghrepo.Interface, error), arg string) (*api.Issue, ghrepo.Interface, error) {
 	issueNumber, baseRepo := issueMetadataFromURL(arg)
 
-	if baseRepo == nil {
-		var err error
-		baseRepo, err = baseRepoFn()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("could not determine base repo: %w", err)
-		}
-	}
-
 	if issueNumber == 0 {
 		var err error
 		issueNumber, err = strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimPrefix(arg, "#"))
@@ -30,6 +22,14 @@ func IssueFromArg(apiClient *api.Client, baseRepoFn func() (ghrepo.Interface, er
 		}
 	}
 
+	if baseRepo == nil {
+		var err error
+		baseRepo, err = baseRepoFn()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("could not determine base repo: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	issue, err := issueFromNumber(apiClient, baseRepo, issueNumber)
 	return issue, baseRepo, err
 }