diff --git a/internal/config/from_env.go b/internal/config/from_env.go
index 97a5e5b41..b2b02b39f 100644
--- a/internal/config/from_env.go
+++ b/internal/config/from_env.go
@@ -106,3 +106,11 @@ func AuthTokenProvidedFromEnv() bool {
 		os.Getenv(GH_TOKEN) != "" ||
 		os.Getenv(GITHUB_TOKEN) != ""
 }
+
+func IsHostEnv(src string) bool {
+	return src == GH_HOST
+}
+
+func IsEnterpriseEnv(src string) bool {
+	return src == GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN || src == GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/from_env_test.go b/internal/config/from_env_test.go
index a3ad8fee4..765cd0160 100644
--- a/internal/config/from_env_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/from_env_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func TestInheritEnv(t *testing.T) {
 			baseConfig: ``,
 			hostname:   "github.com",
 			wants: wants{
-				hosts:     []string(nil),
+				hosts:     []string{},
 				token:     "",
 				source:    ".config.gh.config.yml",
 				writeable: true,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func TestInheritEnv(t *testing.T) {
 			GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN: "ENTOKEN",
 			hostname:                "example.org",
 			wants: wants{
-				hosts:     []string(nil),
+				hosts:     []string{},
 				token:     "ENTOKEN",
 				source:    "GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN",
 				writeable: false,
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestInheritEnv(t *testing.T) {
 			GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN: "ENTOKEN",
 			hostname:            "example.org",
 			wants: wants{
-				hosts:     []string(nil),
+				hosts:     []string{},
 				token:     "ENTOKEN",
 				source:    "GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN",
 				writeable: false,
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func TestInheritEnv(t *testing.T) {
 			GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN: "GITHUBTOKEN",
 			hostname:                "example.org",
 			wants: wants{
-				hosts:     []string(nil),
+				hosts:     []string{},
 				token:     "GHTOKEN",
 				source:    "GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN",
 				writeable: false,
diff --git a/internal/config/from_file.go b/internal/config/from_file.go
index b6b7d5a0e..f5a97930f 100644
--- a/internal/config/from_file.go
+++ b/internal/config/from_file.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (c *fileConfig) UnsetHost(hostname string) {
 func (c *fileConfig) configForHost(hostname string) (*HostConfig, error) {
 	hosts, err := c.hostEntries()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse hosts config: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	for _, hc := range hosts {
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ func (c *fileConfig) Aliases() (*AliasConfig, error) {
 func (c *fileConfig) hostEntries() ([]*HostConfig, error) {
 	entry, err := c.FindEntry("hosts")
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find hosts config: %w", err)
+		return []*HostConfig{}, nil
 	}
 
 	hostConfigs, err := c.parseHosts(entry.ValueNode)
diff --git a/internal/config/from_file_test.go b/internal/config/from_file_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c43c43a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/from_file_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func Test_fileConfig_Hosts(t *testing.T) {
+	c := NewBlankConfig()
+	hosts, err := c.Hosts()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{}, hosts)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/auth/logout/logout.go b/pkg/cmd/auth/logout/logout.go
index 1454a3656..8ad1263a9 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/auth/logout/logout.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/auth/logout/logout.go
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ func logoutRun(opts *LogoutOptions) error {
 
 	candidates, err := cfg.Hosts()
 	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(candidates) == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("not logged in to any hosts")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/auth/refresh/refresh.go b/pkg/cmd/auth/refresh/refresh.go
index 58267182c..2763679f8 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/auth/refresh/refresh.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/auth/refresh/refresh.go
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ func refreshRun(opts *RefreshOptions) error {
 
 	candidates, err := cfg.Hosts()
 	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(candidates) == 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("not logged in to any hosts. Use 'gh auth login' to authenticate with a host")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/auth/status/status.go b/pkg/cmd/auth/status/status.go
index 6c31cfad4..2be0813c0 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/auth/status/status.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/auth/status/status.go
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ func statusRun(opts *StatusOptions) error {
 	statusInfo := map[string][]string{}
 
 	hostnames, err := cfg.Hosts()
-	if len(hostnames) == 0 || err != nil {
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(hostnames) == 0 {
 		fmt.Fprintf(stderr,
 			"You are not logged into any GitHub hosts. Run %s to authenticate.\n", cs.Bold("gh auth login"))
 		return cmdutil.SilentError
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/factory/remote_resolver.go b/pkg/cmd/factory/remote_resolver.go
index 4a512671a..0de709c29 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/factory/remote_resolver.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/factory/remote_resolver.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package factory
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
 	"sort"
 
@@ -12,8 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cli/cli/pkg/set"
 )
 
-const GH_HOST = "GH_HOST"
-
 type remoteResolver struct {
 	readRemotes   func() (git.RemoteSet, error)
 	getConfig     func() (config.Config, error)
@@ -75,18 +74,19 @@ func (rr *remoteResolver) Resolver() func() (context.Remotes, error) {
 		// For enviornment default host (GH_HOST) do not fallback to cachedRemotes if none match
 		if src != "" {
 			filteredRemotes := cachedRemotes.FilterByHosts([]string{defaultHost})
-			if src == GH_HOST || len(filteredRemotes) > 0 {
+			if config.IsHostEnv(src) || len(filteredRemotes) > 0 {
 				cachedRemotes = filteredRemotes
 			}
 		}
 
 		if len(cachedRemotes) == 0 {
-			if src == GH_HOST {
-				remotesError = errors.New("none of the git remotes configured for this repository correspond to the GH_HOST environment variable. Try adding a matching remote or unsetting the variable.")
-			} else {
-				remotesError = errors.New("none of the git remotes configured for this repository point to a known GitHub host. To tell gh about a new GitHub host, please use `gh auth login`")
+			dummyHostname := "example.com" // any non-github.com hostname is fine here
+			if config.IsHostEnv(src) {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("none of the git remotes configured for this repository correspond to the %s environment variable. Try adding a matching remote or unsetting the variable.", src)
+			} else if v, src, _ := cfg.GetWithSource(dummyHostname, "oauth_token"); v != "" && config.IsEnterpriseEnv(src) {
+				return nil, errors.New("set the GH_HOST environment variable to specify which GitHub host to use")
 			}
-			return nil, remotesError
+			return nil, errors.New("none of the git remotes configured for this repository point to a known GitHub host. To tell gh about a new GitHub host, please use `gh auth login`")
 		}
 
 		return cachedRemotes, nil
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
index 2edea8ee5..9d512c79f 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ var HelpTopics = map[string]map[string]string{
 			previously stored credentials.
 
 			GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN, GITHUB_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN (in order of precedence): an authentication
-			token for API requests to GitHub Enterprise.
+			token for API requests to GitHub Enterprise. When setting this, also set GH_HOST.
+
+			GH_HOST: specify the GitHub hostname for commands that would otherwise assume the
+			"github.com" host when not in a context of an existing repository.
 
 			GH_REPO: specify the GitHub repository in the "[HOST/]OWNER/REPO" format for commands
 			that otherwise operate on a local repository.
 
-			GH_HOST: specify the GitHub hostname for commands that would otherwise assume
-			the "github.com" host when not in a context of an existing repository.
-
 			GH_EDITOR, GIT_EDITOR, VISUAL, EDITOR (in order of precedence): the editor tool to use
 			for authoring text.