diff --git a/builtin/bundle.c b/builtin/bundle.c
index 1ea4bfdfc19868..4eb051f74610c9 100644
--- a/builtin/bundle.c
+++ b/builtin/bundle.c
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ int cmd_bundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			usage(builtin_bundle_usage);
 			return 1;
 		}
+		if (!startup_info->have_repository)
+			die(_("Need a repository to create a bundle."));
 		if (verify_bundle(the_repository, &header, 1))
 			return 1;
 		fprintf(stderr, _("%s is okay\n"), bundle_file);
diff --git a/t/t5607-clone-bundle.sh b/t/t5607-clone-bundle.sh
index cf39e9e2437f06..4281147c0c577d 100755
--- a/t/t5607-clone-bundle.sh
+++ b/t/t5607-clone-bundle.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 	git tag -d third
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"verify" needs a repository' '
+	git bundle create tip.bundle -1 master &&
+	test_must_fail nongit git bundle verify ../tip.bundle 2>err &&
+	test_i18ngrep "Need a repository" err
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'annotated tags can be excluded by rev-list options' '
 	git bundle create bundle --all --since=7.Apr.2005.15:14:00.-0700 &&
 	git ls-remote bundle > output &&