diff --git a/repo b/repo
index 2af77ace..6d7ce42a 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -618,6 +618,7 @@ def _Init(args, gitc_init=False):
             "REPO_URL set correctly?" % url, file=sys.stderr)
 
   except CloneFailure:
+    print('fatal: double check your --repo-rev setting.', file=sys.stderr)
     if opt.quiet:
       print('fatal: repo init failed; run without --quiet to see why',
             file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index e2f34cc8..b0db76a4 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -520,8 +520,12 @@ to update the working directory files.
     # Handle new --repo-rev requests.
     if opt.repo_rev:
       wrapper = Wrapper()
-      remote_ref, rev = wrapper.check_repo_rev(
-          rp.gitdir, opt.repo_rev, repo_verify=opt.repo_verify, quiet=opt.quiet)
+      try:
+        remote_ref, rev = wrapper.check_repo_rev(
+            rp.gitdir, opt.repo_rev, repo_verify=opt.repo_verify, quiet=opt.quiet)
+      except wrapper.CloneFailure:
+        print('fatal: double check your --repo-rev setting.', file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
       branch = rp.GetBranch('default')
       branch.merge = remote_ref
       rp.work_git.reset('--hard', rev)