diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameCommand.java
index 9c57418..2dfb975 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameCommand.java
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@
           new ProjectResource(
               projectCacheProvider.get().get(new Project.NameKey(projectControl)), self.get());
 
+      if (rsrc.getProjectState() == null) {
+        throw new CannotRenameProjectException("Project does not exist");
+      }
+
       if (replication) {
         if (renameProject.isAdmin()) {
           renameProject.fsRenameStep(
@@ -96,7 +100,7 @@
           }
         }
       }
-    } catch (RestApiException | OrmException | IOException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException | OrmException | IOException | CannotRenameProjectException e) {
       throw die(e);
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/conditions/RenamePreconditions.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/conditions/RenamePreconditions.java
index e92a4c1..9efa51d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/conditions/RenamePreconditions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/conditions/RenamePreconditions.java
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@
 
   public void assertCanRename(ProjectResource oldProjectRsrc, Project.NameKey newProjectKey)
       throws CannotRenameProjectException {
-    if (oldProjectRsrc.getProjectState() == null) {
-      throw new CannotRenameProjectException("Project does not exist");
-    }
     Project.NameKey oldProjectKey = oldProjectRsrc.getNameKey();
     assertNewRepoNotExists(newProjectKey);
     assertIsNotDefaultProject(oldProjectKey);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameIT.java
index 01a7be9..a552a4c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/renameproject/RenameIT.java
@@ -129,6 +129,17 @@
 
   @Test
   @UseLocalDisk
+  public void testRenameReplicationViaSshOnNonExisting() throws Exception {
+    createChange();
+    adminSshSession.exec(
+        PLUGIN_NAME + " " + NON_EXISTING_NAME + " " + project.get() + " " + REPLICATION_OPTION);
+
+    assertThat(adminSshSession.getError()).contains("Project does not exist");
+    adminSshSession.assertFailure();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @UseLocalDisk
   public void testRenameNonExistingProjectFail() throws Exception {
     createChange();
     adminSshSession.exec(PLUGIN_NAME + " " + NON_EXISTING_NAME + " " + project.get());