diff --git a/Octokit.Tests/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsExceptionTests.cs b/Octokit.Tests/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsExceptionTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..707f7556
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Octokit.Tests/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsExceptionTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Octokit.Tests.Exceptions
+{
+    public class RepositoryExistsExceptionTests
+    {
+        public class TheMessageProperty
+        {
+            [Fact]
+            public void WhenOwnerIsNullDoNotMentionInMessage()
+            {
+                var exception = new RepositoryExistsException(
+                    null,
+                    "some-repo",
+                    false,
+                    GitHubClient.GitHubDotComUrl,
+                    new ApiValidationException());
+
+                Assert.Equal("There is already a repository named 'some-repo' for the current account.", exception.Message);
+            }
+
+            [Fact]
+            public void WhenOwnerIsNotNullMentionInMessage()
+            {
+                var exception = new RepositoryExistsException(
+                    "some-org",
+                    "some-repo",
+                    true,
+                    GitHubClient.GitHubDotComUrl,
+                    new ApiValidationException());
+
+                Assert.Equal("There is already a repository named 'some-repo' in the organization 'some-org'.", exception.Message);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Octokit.Tests/Octokit.Tests.csproj b/Octokit.Tests/Octokit.Tests.csproj
index 312e40ad..cde48c61 100644
--- a/Octokit.Tests/Octokit.Tests.csproj
+++ b/Octokit.Tests/Octokit.Tests.csproj
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Clients\FollowersClientTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Exceptions\ApiExceptionTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Exceptions\ApiValidationExceptionTests.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Exceptions\RepositoryExistsExceptionTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Exceptions\TwoFactorChallengeFailedException.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Exceptions\ForbiddenExceptionTests.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Exceptions\LoginAttemptsExceededExceptionTests.cs" />
diff --git a/Octokit/Clients/RepositoriesClient.cs b/Octokit/Clients/RepositoriesClient.cs
index fc22e459..55670185 100644
--- a/Octokit/Clients/RepositoriesClient.cs
+++ b/Octokit/Clients/RepositoriesClient.cs
@@ -84,13 +84,11 @@ namespace Octokit
                     errorMessage,
                     StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
                 {
-                    string owner = organizationLogin ?? Connection.Credentials.Login;
-
                     var baseAddress = Connection.BaseAddress.Host != GitHubClient.GitHubApiUrl.Host
                         ? Connection.BaseAddress
                         : new Uri("https://github.com/");
                     throw new RepositoryExistsException(
-                        owner,
+                        organizationLogin,
                         newRepository.Name,
                         organizationLogin != null,
                         baseAddress, e);
diff --git a/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs b/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
index f5f61828..adcb698b 100644
--- a/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
+++ b/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
@@ -37,11 +37,10 @@ namespace Octokit
             ApiValidationException innerException)
             : base(innerException)
         {
-            Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(owner, "owner");
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(name, "repositoryName");
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNull(baseAddress, "baseAddress");
 
-            Owner = owner;
+            Owner = owner ?? ""; // TODO: this is a total hack
             RepositoryName = name;
             OwnerIsOrganization = ownerIsOrganization;
             var webBaseAddress = baseAddress.Host != GitHubClient.GitHubApiUrl.Host
@@ -49,8 +48,8 @@ namespace Octokit
                         : GitHubClient.GitHubDotComUrl;
             ExistingRepositoryWebUrl = new Uri(webBaseAddress, new Uri(owner + "/" + name, UriKind.Relative));
             string messageFormat = ownerIsOrganization 
-                ? "There is already a repository named '{0}' in the organization '{1}'"
-                : "There is already a repository named '{0}' for the owner '{1}'.";
+                ? "There is already a repository named '{0}' in the organization '{1}'."
+                : "There is already a repository named '{0}' for the current account.";
 
             _message = String.Format(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, messageFormat, name, owner);
         }