diff --git a/cmd/helm/repo_add.go b/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
index 1c2162bfa..f79c213c0 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
@@ -116,11 +116,6 @@ func (o *repoAddOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// If the repo exists and --force-update was not specified, error out.
-	if !o.forceUpdate && f.Has(o.name) {
-		return errors.Errorf("repository name (%s) already exists, please specify a different name", o.name)
-	}
-
 	if o.username != "" && o.password == "" {
 		fd := int(os.Stdin.Fd())
 		fmt.Fprint(out, "Password: ")
@@ -143,6 +138,23 @@ func (o *repoAddOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		InsecureSkipTLSverify: o.insecureSkipTLSverify,
 	}
 
+	// If the repo exists do one of two things:
+	// 1. If the configuration for the name is the same continue without error
+	// 2. When the config is different require --force-update
+	if !o.forceUpdate && f.Has(o.name) {
+		existing := f.Get(o.name)
+		if c != *existing {
+
+			// The input coming in for the name is different from what is already
+			// configured. Return an error.
+			return errors.Errorf("repository name (%s) already exists, please specify a different name", o.name)
+		}
+
+		// The add is idempotent so do nothing
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "%q already exists with the same configuration, skipping\n", o.name)
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	r, err := repo.NewChartRepository(&c, getter.All(settings))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/cmd/helm/repo_add_test.go b/cmd/helm/repo_add_test.go
index d358ad970..f3bc54985 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/repo_add_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/repo_add_test.go
@@ -40,14 +40,38 @@ func TestRepoAddCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer srv.Stop()
 
+	// A second test server is setup to verify URL changing
+	srv2, err := repotest.NewTempServerWithCleanup(t, "testdata/testserver/*.*")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer srv2.Stop()
+
 	tmpdir := ensure.TempDir(t)
 	repoFile := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "repositories.yaml")
 
-	tests := []cmdTestCase{{
-		name:   "add a repository",
-		cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("repo add test-name %s --repository-config %s --repository-cache %s", srv.URL(), repoFile, tmpdir),
-		golden: "output/repo-add.txt",
-	}}
+	tests := []cmdTestCase{
+		{
+			name:   "add a repository",
+			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("repo add test-name %s --repository-config %s --repository-cache %s", srv.URL(), repoFile, tmpdir),
+			golden: "output/repo-add.txt",
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "add repository second time",
+			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("repo add test-name %s --repository-config %s --repository-cache %s", srv.URL(), repoFile, tmpdir),
+			golden: "output/repo-add2.txt",
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "add repository different url",
+			cmd:       fmt.Sprintf("repo add test-name %s --repository-config %s --repository-cache %s", srv2.URL(), repoFile, tmpdir),
+			wantError: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "add repository second time",
+			cmd:    fmt.Sprintf("repo add test-name %s --repository-config %s --repository-cache %s --force-update", srv2.URL(), repoFile, tmpdir),
+			golden: "output/repo-add.txt",
+		},
+	}
 
 	runTestCmd(t, tests)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/helm/testdata/output/repo-add2.txt b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/repo-add2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..263ffa9e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/repo-add2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+"test-name" already exists with the same configuration, skipping