diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-clone-unknown.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-clone-unknown.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..58fe4055
--- /dev/null
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-clone-unknown.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Trying to clone a repository that is not in our routing table returns an error:
+
+```
+$ rad clone rad:zVNuptPuk5XauitpCWSNVCXGGfXW
+ok Tracking relationship established for rad:zVNuptPuk5XauitpCWSNVCXGGfXW
+== Clone failed no seeds found for rad:zVNuptPuk5XauitpCWSNVCXGGfXW
+```
diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
index 31343d1a..a47bcc91 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ To create your first radicle project, navigate to a git repository, and run
 the `init` command:
 
 ```
-$ rad init --name heartwood --description "Radicle Heartwood Protocol & Stack" --no-confirm
+$ rad init --name heartwood --description "Radicle Heartwood Protocol & Stack" --no-confirm --no-sync
 
 Initializing local 🌱 project in .
 
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
index bf78c88f..81f41b48 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ pub enum CloneError {
     Payload(#[from] doc::PayloadError),
     #[error("project error: {0}")]
     Project(#[from] ProjectError),
+    #[error("no seeds found for {0}")]
+    NotFound(Id),
 }
 
 pub fn clone<G: Signer>(
@@ -149,8 +151,11 @@ pub fn clone<G: Signer>(
         );
     }
 
-    // Get seeds.
+    // Get seeds. This consults the local routing table only.
     let seeds = node.seeds(id)?;
+    if seeds.is_empty() {
+        return Err(CloneError::NotFound(id));
+    }
     // Fetch from all seeds.
     for seed in seeds {
         let spinner = term::spinner(format!(
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/terminal/io.rs b/radicle-cli/src/terminal/io.rs
index 56b046c3..6df37e71 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/terminal/io.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/terminal/io.rs
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ pub fn help(name: &str, version: &str, description: &str, usage: &str) {
 }
 
 pub fn usage(name: &str, usage: &str) {
-    eprintln!(
+    println!(
         "{} {}\n{}",
         style("==").red(),
         style(format!("Error: rad-{name}: invalid usage")).red(),
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ pub fn usage(name: &str, usage: &str) {
     );
 }
 
-pub fn eprintln(prefix: impl fmt::Display, msg: impl fmt::Display) {
-    eprintln!("{prefix} {msg}");
+pub fn println(prefix: impl fmt::Display, msg: impl fmt::Display) {
+    println!("{prefix} {msg}");
 }
 
 pub fn indented(msg: impl fmt::Display) {
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ pub fn subcommand(msg: impl fmt::Display) {
 }
 
 pub fn warning(warning: &str) {
-    eprintln!(
+    println!(
         "{} {} {}",
         style("**").yellow(),
         style("Warning:").yellow().bold(),
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ pub fn warning(warning: &str) {
 }
 
 pub fn error(error: impl fmt::Display) {
-    eprintln!("{} {}", style("==").red(), style(error).red());
+    println!("{} {}", style("==").red(), style(error).red());
 }
 
 pub fn fail(header: &str, error: &anyhow::Error) {
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ pub fn fail(header: &str, error: &anyhow::Error) {
         " "
     };
 
-    eprintln!(
+    println!(
         "{} {}{}{}",
         style("==").red(),
         style(header).red().reverse(),
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ pub fn fail(header: &str, error: &anyhow::Error) {
 
     let cause = error.root_cause();
     if cause.to_string() != error.to_string() {
-        eprintln!(
+        println!(
             "{} {}",
             style("==").red().dim(),
             style(error.root_cause()).red().dim()
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ pub fn fail(header: &str, error: &anyhow::Error) {
     }
 
     if let Some(Error::WithHint { hint, .. }) = error.downcast_ref::<Error>() {
-        eprintln!("{} {}", style("==").yellow(), style(hint).yellow(),);
+        println!("{} {}", style("==").yellow(), style(hint).yellow(),);
         blank();
     }
 }
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/terminal/spinner.rs b/radicle-cli/src/terminal/spinner.rs
index ad9ac8dc..036d971f 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/terminal/spinner.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/terminal/spinner.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl Spinner {
     pub fn error(mut self, msg: impl ToString) {
         let msg = msg.to_string();
 
-        self.message = format!("{} (error: {})", self.message, msg);
+        self.message = format!("{} error: {}", self.message, msg);
         self.set_failed();
     }
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl Spinner {
 
     pub fn set_failed(&mut self) {
         self.progress.finish_and_clear();
-        term::eprintln(style("!!").red().reverse(), &self.message);
+        term::println(style("!!").red().reverse(), &self.message);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
index 73838fea..6fa2b015 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,25 @@ fn rad_clone() {
     test("examples/rad-clone.md", working, Some(&bob.home), []).unwrap();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rad_clone_unknown() {
+    logger::init(log::Level::Debug);
+
+    let mut environment = Environment::new();
+    let alice = environment.node("alice");
+    let working = environment.tmp().join("working");
+
+    let alice = alice.spawn(Config::default());
+
+    test(
+        "examples/rad-clone-unknown.md",
+        working,
+        Some(&alice.home),
+        [],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn rad_init_announce_refs() {
     logger::init(log::Level::Debug);
diff --git a/radicle-cli/tests/framework/mod.rs b/radicle-cli/tests/framework/mod.rs
index be2487aa..47f81995 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/tests/framework/mod.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/tests/framework/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ use snapbox::cmd::{Command, OutputAssert};
 use snapbox::{Assert, Substitutions};
 use thiserror::Error;
 
+/// Error lines in the CLI are prefixed with this string.
+const ERROR_PREFIX: &str = "==";
+
 #[derive(Error, Debug)]
 pub enum Error {
     #[error("parsing failed")]
@@ -18,6 +21,12 @@ pub enum Error {
     Snapbox(#[from] snapbox::Error),
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+enum ExitStatus {
+    Success,
+    Failure,
+}
+
 /// A test which may contain multiple assertions.
 #[derive(Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Test {
@@ -36,6 +45,8 @@ pub struct Assertion {
     args: Vec<String>,
     /// Expected output (stdout or stderr).
     expected: String,
+    /// Expected exit status.
+    exit: ExitStatus,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -112,8 +123,12 @@ impl TestFormula {
                         command: cmd.to_owned(),
                         args: args.to_owned(),
                         expected: String::new(),
+                        exit: ExitStatus::Success,
                     });
                 } else if let Some(test) = test.assertions.last_mut() {
+                    if line.starts_with(ERROR_PREFIX) {
+                        test.exit = ExitStatus::Failure;
+                    }
                     test.expected.push_str(line.as_str());
                     test.expected.push('\n');
                 } else {
@@ -181,7 +196,14 @@ impl TestFormula {
                 match result {
                     Ok(output) => {
                         let assert = OutputAssert::new(output).with_assert(assert.clone());
-                        assert.stdout_matches(&assertion.expected).success();
+                        match assertion.exit {
+                            ExitStatus::Success => {
+                                assert.stdout_matches(&assertion.expected).success();
+                            }
+                            ExitStatus::Failure => {
+                                assert.stdout_matches(&assertion.expected).failure();
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                     Err(err) => {
                         if err.kind() == io::ErrorKind::NotFound {
@@ -246,6 +268,7 @@ $ rad sync
                             expected: String::from(
                                 "Tracking relationship established for @dave.\nNothing to do.\n\n",
                             ),
+                            exit: ExitStatus::Success,
                         },
                         Assertion {
                             command: String::from("rad"),
@@ -253,6 +276,7 @@ $ rad sync
                             expected: String::from(
                                 "Tracking relationship established for @sean.\nNothing to do.\n",
                             ),
+                            exit: ExitStatus::Success,
                         },
                     ],
                 },
@@ -262,6 +286,7 @@ $ rad sync
                         command: String::from("rad"),
                         args: vec![String::from("sync")],
                         expected: String::new(),
+                        exit: ExitStatus::Success,
                     }],
                 },
             ],