diff --git a/src/Connections/GithubRepo.ts b/src/Connections/GithubRepo.ts
index 55f8e16c..6b7f4101 100644
--- a/src/Connections/GithubRepo.ts
+++ b/src/Connections/GithubRepo.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@ import { IConnection } from "./IConnection";
 import { IssuesOpenedEvent, IssuesReopenedEvent, IssuesEditedEvent, PullRequestOpenedEvent, IssuesClosedEvent, PullRequestClosedEvent, PullRequestReadyForReviewEvent, PullRequestReviewSubmittedEvent, ReleaseCreatedEvent } from "@octokit/webhooks-types";
 import { MatrixMessageContent, MatrixEvent, MatrixReactionContent } from "../MatrixEvent";
 import { MessageSenderClient } from "../MatrixSender";
-import { NotLoggedInError } from "../errors";
+import { CommandError, NotLoggedInError } from "../errors";
+import { RequestError } from "@octokit/types";
 import { Octokit } from "@octokit/rest";
 import { ReposGetResponseData } from "../Github/Types";
 import { UserTokenStore } from "../UserTokenStore";
-import axios from "axios";
+import axios, { Axios, AxiosError } from "axios";
 import emoji from "node-emoji";
 import LogWrapper from "../LogWrapper";
 import markdown from "markdown-it";
@@ -205,8 +206,7 @@ export class GitHubRepoConnection extends CommandConnection implements IConnecti
     public async onAssign(userId: string, number: string, ...users: string[]) {
         const octokit = await this.tokenStore.getOctokitForUser(userId);
         if (!octokit) {
-            await this.as.botIntent.sendText(this.roomId, "You must login to assign an issue", "m.notice");
-            return;
+            throw new NotLoggedInError();
         }
 
         if (users.length === 1) {
@@ -225,8 +225,7 @@ export class GitHubRepoConnection extends CommandConnection implements IConnecti
     public async onClose(userId: string, number: string, comment?: string) {
         const octokit = await this.tokenStore.getOctokitForUser(userId);
         if (!octokit) {
-            await this.as.botIntent.sendText(this.roomId, "You must login to close an issue", "m.notice");
-            return;
+            throw new NotLoggedInError();
         }
 
         if (comment) {
@@ -250,8 +249,7 @@ export class GitHubRepoConnection extends CommandConnection implements IConnecti
     public async onWorkflowRun(userId: string, name: string, args?: string, ref?: string) {
         const octokit = await this.tokenStore.getOctokitForUser(userId);
         if (!octokit) {
-            await this.as.botIntent.sendText(this.roomId, "You must login to close an issue", "m.notice");
-            return;
+            throw new NotLoggedInError();
         }
         const workflowArgs: Record<string, string> = {};
         if (args) {
@@ -269,21 +267,32 @@ export class GitHubRepoConnection extends CommandConnection implements IConnecti
             await this.as.botIntent.sendText(this.roomId, `Could not find a workflow by the name of "${name}". The workflows on this repository are ${workflowNames}`, "m.notice");
             return;
         }
-        if (!ref) {
-            ref = (await octokit.repos.get({
+        try {
+            if (!ref) {
+                ref = (await octokit.repos.get({
+                    repo: this.state.repo,
+                    owner: this.state.org,
+                })).data.default_branch;
+            }
+        } catch (ex) {
+            throw new CommandError(ex.message, `Could not determine default ref (maybe pass one in)`);
+        }
+
+        try {
+            await octokit.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
                 repo: this.state.repo,
                 owner: this.state.org,
-            })).data.default_branch;
+                workflow_id: workflow.id,
+                ref,
+                inputs: workflowArgs,
+            });
+        } catch (ex) {
+            const httpError = ex as AxiosError;
+            if (httpError.response?.data) {
+                throw new CommandError(httpError.response?.data.message, ${httpError.response?.data.message});
+            }
+            throw ex;
         }
-        
-
-        await octokit.actions.createWorkflowDispatch({
-            repo: this.state.repo,
-            owner: this.state.org,
-            workflow_id: workflow.id,
-            ref,
-            inputs: workflowArgs,
-        });
 
         await this.as.botIntent.sendText(this.roomId, `Workflow started`, "m.notice");
     }