diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index 6e59ba62..07e5cb27 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -3222,30 +3222,22 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
         arg_arch = arg_arch or osc.build.hostarch
 
         if not opts.noinit:
-            repositories = get_repositories_of_project( \
-                    store_read_apiurl('.'), \
-                    opts.alternative_project or store_read_project('.'))
+            project = opts.alternative_project or store_read_project('.')
+            repositories = get_repositories_of_project(store_read_apiurl('.'), project)
+            if not len(repositories):
+                raise oscerr.WrongArgs('no repositories defined for project \'%s\'' % project)
             if not arg_repository:
-
-                if len(repositories) == 0:
-                    arg_repository = conf.config['build_repository']
-
-                else:
-
-                    # Use a default value from config, but just even if it's available
-                    # unless try standard, or openSUSE_Factory
-                    for repository in (conf.config['build_repository'], 'standard', 'openSUSE_Factory'):
-                        if repository in repositories:
-                            arg_repository = repository
-                            break
-
-                    arg_repository = arg_repository or repositories[len(repositories)-1]
-
+                # Use a default value from config, but just even if it's available
+                # unless try standard, or openSUSE_Factory
+                arg_repository = repositories[-1]
+                for repository in (conf.config['build_repository'], 'standard', 'openSUSE_Factory'):
+                    if repository in repositories:
+                        arg_repository = repository
+                        break
             if not arg_repository in repositories:
-                raise oscerr.WrongArgs('%s is not a valid repository, use one of: %s' % (arg_repository, ", ".join(repositories)))
-
-        if not arg_repository:
-                raise oscerr.WrongArgs('please specify a repository')
+                raise oscerr.WrongArgs('%s is not a valid repository, use one of: %s' % (arg_repository, ', '.join(repositories)))
+        elif not arg_repository:
+            raise oscerr.WrongArgs('please specify a repository')
 
         # check for source services
         if os.listdir('.').count("_service"):