diff --git a/cli/src/cli_util.rs b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
index a1b322b239..5c32dad31f 100644
--- a/cli/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -2975,8 +2975,10 @@ impl CliRunner {
         }
 
         let maybe_workspace_loader = if let Some(path) = &args.global_args.repository {
-            WorkspaceLoader::init(&cwd.join(path))
-                .map_err(|err| map_workspace_load_error(err, Some(path)))
+            // Invalid -R path is an error. No need to proceed.
+            let loader = WorkspaceLoader::init(&cwd.join(path))
+                .map_err(|err| map_workspace_load_error(err, Some(path)))?;
+            Ok(loader)
         } else {
             WorkspaceLoader::init(find_workspace_dir(&cwd))
                 .map_err(|err| map_workspace_load_error(err, None))
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/git.rs b/cli/src/commands/git.rs
index bb8912265c..bb16ab611b 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/git.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/git.rs
@@ -442,9 +442,6 @@ fn cmd_git_clone(
     command: &CommandHelper,
     args: &GitCloneArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    if command.global_args().repository.is_some() {
-        return Err(user_error("'--repository' cannot be used with 'git clone'"));
-    }
     let remote_name = "origin";
     let source = absolute_git_source(command.cwd(), &args.source);
     let wc_path_str = args
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/init.rs b/cli/src/commands/init.rs
index d13fca6449..b261903c24 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@ pub(crate) fn cmd_init(
     command: &CommandHelper,
     args: &InitArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    if command.global_args().repository.is_some() {
-        return Err(user_error("'--repository' cannot be used with 'init'"));
-    }
     let wc_path = command.cwd().join(&args.destination);
     match fs::create_dir(&wc_path) {
         Ok(()) => {}
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
index 08b85b17bf..93f01f3f1a 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ fn test_repo_arg_with_init() {
     let test_env = TestEnvironment::default();
     let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_failure(test_env.env_root(), &["init", "-R=.", "repo"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Error: '--repository' cannot be used with 'init'
+    Error: There is no jj repo in "."
     "###);
 }
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ fn test_repo_arg_with_git_clone() {
     let test_env = TestEnvironment::default();
     let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_failure(test_env.env_root(), &["git", "clone", "-R=.", "remote"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Error: '--repository' cannot be used with 'git clone'
+    Error: There is no jj repo in "."
     "###);
 }