diff --git a/commands/create.go b/commands/create.go
index f75e474d75a08c83ac36915d48a707394a4f02b7..08725aae58e14655a40f905c6fc80645d29098a8 100644
--- a/commands/create.go
+++ b/commands/create.go
@@ -109,8 +109,15 @@ func create(command *Command, args *Args) {
 	project := github.NewProject(owner, newRepoName, host.Host)
 	gh := github.NewClient(project.Host)
 
-	if gh.IsRepositoryExist(project) {
-		ui.Errorln("Existing repository detected. Updating git remote")
+	repo, err := gh.Repository(project)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		if !repo.Private && flagCreatePrivate {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("Repository '%s' already exists and is public", repo.FullName)
+			utils.Check(err)
+		} else {
+			ui.Errorln("Existing repository detected. Updating git remote")
+		}
 	} else {
 		if !args.Noop {
 			repo, err := gh.CreateRepository(project, flagCreateDescription, flagCreateHomepage, flagCreatePrivate)
diff --git a/features/create.feature b/features/create.feature
index b94bc71b48445267d1883ce7d4738e4a1455146e..01063de38620aea53b4f7d32126935870cc62a37 100644
--- a/features/create.feature
+++ b/features/create.feature
@@ -146,6 +146,30 @@ Feature: hub create
     Then the output should contain "Existing repository detected. Updating git remote\n"
     And the url for "origin" should be "git@github.com:mislav/dotfiles.git"
 
+  Scenario: GitHub repo already exists and is not private
+    Given the GitHub API server:
+      """
+      get('/repos/mislav/dotfiles') { 
+        json :full_name => 'mislav/dotfiles',
+             :private => false
+      }
+      """
+    When I run `hub create -p`
+    Then the output should contain "Repository 'mislav/dotfiles' already exists and is public\n"
+    And the exit status should be 1
+    And there should be no "origin" remote
+
+  Scenario: GitHub repo already exists and is private
+    Given the GitHub API server:
+      """
+      get('/repos/mislav/dotfiles') { 
+        json :full_name => 'mislav/dotfiles',
+             :private => true
+      }
+      """
+    When I successfully run `hub create -p`
+    Then the url for "origin" should be "git@github.com:mislav/dotfiles.git"
+
   Scenario: API response changes the clone URL
     Given the GitHub API server:
       """
diff --git a/github/client.go b/github/client.go
index 6e7eccf7a7d883ae81e805eb2284a150d3f7bbf0..1a778bfdb5da7291d26e7d640eb69a39f1e5db0c 100644
--- a/github/client.go
+++ b/github/client.go
@@ -213,12 +213,6 @@ func (client *Client) Repository(project *Project) (repo *Repository, err error)
 	return
 }
 
-func (client *Client) IsRepositoryExist(project *Project) bool {
-	repo, err := client.Repository(project)
-
-	return err == nil && repo != nil
-}
-
 func (client *Client) CreateRepository(project *Project, description, homepage string, isPrivate bool) (repo *Repository, err error) {
 	repoURL := "user/repos"
 	if project.Owner != client.Host.User {