diff --git a/Octokit.Tests/Clients/RepositoriesClientTests.cs b/Octokit.Tests/Clients/RepositoriesClientTests.cs
index d995cffb..9d2d74af 100644
--- a/Octokit.Tests/Clients/RepositoriesClientTests.cs
+++ b/Octokit.Tests/Clients/RepositoriesClientTests.cs
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ namespace Octokit.Tests.Clients
                     async () => await client.Create(newRepository));
 
                 Assert.False(exception.OwnerIsOrganization);
-                Assert.Equal("haacked", exception.Owner);
+                Assert.Null(exception.Owner);
                 Assert.Equal("aName", exception.RepositoryName);
-                Assert.Equal(new Uri("https://github.com/haacked/aName"), exception.ExistingRepositoryWebUrl);
+                Assert.Null(exception.ExistingRepositoryWebUrl);
             }
 
             [Fact]
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ namespace Octokit.Tests.Clients
                 Assert.Equal("illuminati", exception.Owner);
                 Assert.Equal("aName", exception.RepositoryName);
                 Assert.Equal(new Uri("https://github.com/illuminati/aName"), exception.ExistingRepositoryWebUrl);
-                Assert.Equal("There is already a repository named 'aName' in the organization 'illuminati'",
+                Assert.Equal("There is already a repository named 'aName' in the organization 'illuminati'.",
                     exception.Message);
             }
 
diff --git a/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs b/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
index 4658426d..9d19bbdd 100644
--- a/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
+++ b/Octokit/Exceptions/RepositoryExistsException.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace Octokit
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNullOrEmptyString(name, "repositoryName");
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNull(baseAddress, "baseAddress");
 
-            Owner = owner ?? ""; // TODO: this is a total hack
+            Owner = owner;
             RepositoryName = name;
             OwnerIsOrganization = !String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(owner);
             var webBaseAddress = baseAddress.Host != GitHubClient.GitHubApiUrl.Host