diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware.py
index 5389c0efd..faa99ba0f 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import argparse
 import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from clan_lib.flake import require_flake
 from clan_lib.machines.hardware import (
     HardwareConfig,
     HardwareGenerateOptions,
@@ -19,8 +20,9 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def update_hardware_config_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
-    validate_machine_names([args.machine], args.flake)
-    machine = Machine(flake=args.flake, name=args.machine)
+    flake = require_flake(args.flake)
+    validate_machine_names([args.machine], flake)
+    machine = Machine(flake=flake, name=args.machine)
     opts = HardwareGenerateOptions(
         machine=machine,
         password=args.password,
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware_test.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41747113c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/hardware_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from clan_lib.errors import ClanError
+
+from clan_cli.tests.helpers import cli
+
+
+def test_create_command_no_flake(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ClanError):
+        cli.run(["machines", "update-hardware-config", "machine"])