diff --git a/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go b/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
index 478b49479..4e87684ce 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -65,7 +66,11 @@ func newDependencyBuildCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			if client.Verify {
 				man.Verify = downloader.VerifyIfPossible
 			}
-			return man.Build()
+			err := man.Build()
+			if e, ok := err.(downloader.ErrRepoNotFound); ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("%s. Please add the missing repos via 'helm repo add'", e.Error())
+			}
+			return err
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/downloader/manager.go b/pkg/downloader/manager.go
index 00198de0c..2d6918739 100644
--- a/pkg/downloader/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/downloader/manager.go
@@ -42,6 +42,17 @@ import (
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/repo"
 )
 
+// ErrRepoNotFound indicates that chart repositories can't be found in local repo cache.
+// The value of Repos is missing repos.
+type ErrRepoNotFound struct {
+	Repos []string
+}
+
+// Error implements the error interface.
+func (e ErrRepoNotFound) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("no repository definition for %s", strings.Join(e.Repos, ", "))
+}
+
 // Manager handles the lifecycle of fetching, resolving, and storing dependencies.
 type Manager struct {
 	// Out is used to print warnings and notifications.
@@ -411,7 +422,7 @@ Loop:
 		missing = append(missing, dd.Repository)
 	}
 	if len(missing) > 0 {
-		return errors.Errorf("no repository definition for %s. Please add the missing repos via 'helm repo add'", strings.Join(missing, ", "))
+		return ErrRepoNotFound{missing}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/downloader/manager_test.go b/pkg/downloader/manager_test.go
index ea235c13f..dd3cbbd7b 100644
--- a/pkg/downloader/manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/downloader/manager_test.go
@@ -360,3 +360,32 @@ func TestBuild_WithRepositoryAlias(t *testing.T) {
 		Repository: "@test",
 	})
 }
+
+func TestErrRepoNotFound_Error(t *testing.T) {
+	type fields struct {
+		Repos []string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name   string
+		fields fields
+		want   string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "OK",
+			fields: fields{
+				Repos: []string{"https://charts1.example.com", "https://charts2.example.com"},
+			},
+			want: "no repository definition for https://charts1.example.com, https://charts2.example.com",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			e := ErrRepoNotFound{
+				Repos: tt.fields.Repos,
+			}
+			if got := e.Error(); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("Error() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}