diff --git a/cmd-set-environment.c b/cmd-set-environment.c
index 55bdaa9a..ba295ea6 100644
--- a/cmd-set-environment.c
+++ b/cmd-set-environment.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ cmd_set_environment_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 {
 	struct args	*args = self->args;
 	struct environ	*env;
-	const char	*name, *value;
+	const char	*name, *value, *target;
 
 	name = args->argv[0];
 	if (*name == '\0') {
@@ -64,10 +64,19 @@ cmd_set_environment_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	else
 		value = args->argv[1];
 
-	if (args_has(self->args, 'g') || cmdq->state.tflag.s == NULL)
+	if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 		env = global_environ;
-	else
+	else {
+		if (cmdq->state.tflag.s == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL)
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such session: %s", target);
+			else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current session");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		}
 		env = cmdq->state.tflag.s->environ;
+	}
 
 	if (args_has(self->args, 'u')) {
 		if (value != NULL) {
diff --git a/cmd-set-option.c b/cmd-set-option.c
index 7fc81286..b1771436 100644
--- a/cmd-set-option.c
+++ b/cmd-set-option.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ cmd_set_option_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	struct client				*c;
 	const struct options_table_entry	*oe;
 	struct options				*oo;
-	const char				*optstr, *valstr;
+	const char				*optstr, *valstr, *target;
 
 	/* Get the option name and value. */
 	optstr = args->argv[0];
@@ -140,29 +140,29 @@ cmd_set_option_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	else if (oe->scope == OPTIONS_TABLE_WINDOW) {
 		if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 			oo = global_w_options;
-		else {
-			if (wl == NULL) {
-				cmdq_error(cmdq,
-				    "couldn't set '%s'%s", optstr,
-				    (!args_has(args, 't') && !args_has(args,
-				    'g')) ? " need target window or -g" : "");
-				return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
-			}
+		else if (wl == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL) {
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such window: %s",
+				    target);
+			} else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current window");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		} else
 			oo = wl->window->options;
-		}
 	} else if (oe->scope == OPTIONS_TABLE_SESSION) {
 		if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 			oo = global_s_options;
-		else {
-			if (s == NULL) {
-				cmdq_error(cmdq,
-				    "couldn't set '%s'%s", optstr,
-				    (!args_has(args, 't') && !args_has(args,
-				    'g')) ? " need target session or -g" : "");
-				return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
-			}
+		else if (s == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL) {
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such session: %s",
+				    target);
+			} else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current session");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		} else
 			oo = s->options;
-		}
 	} else {
 		cmdq_error(cmdq, "unknown table");
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
diff --git a/cmd-show-environment.c b/cmd-show-environment.c
index 83661c44..29e89274 100644
--- a/cmd-show-environment.c
+++ b/cmd-show-environment.c
@@ -93,11 +93,28 @@ cmd_show_environment_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 	struct args		*args = self->args;
 	struct environ		*env;
 	struct environ_entry	*envent;
+	const char		*target;
 
-	if (args_has(self->args, 'g') || cmdq->state.tflag.s == NULL)
+	if ((target = args_get(args, 't')) != NULL) {
+		if (cmdq->state.tflag.s == NULL) {
+			cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such session: %s", target);
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 		env = global_environ;
-	else
+	else {
+		if (cmdq->state.tflag.s == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL)
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such session: %s", target);
+			else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current session");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		}
 		env = cmdq->state.tflag.s->environ;
+	}
 
 	if (args->argc != 0) {
 		envent = environ_find(env, args->argv[0]);
diff --git a/cmd-show-options.c b/cmd-show-options.c
index fec2f1de..322f532c 100644
--- a/cmd-show-options.c
+++ b/cmd-show-options.c
@@ -63,12 +63,13 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_show_window_options_entry = {
 enum cmd_retval
 cmd_show_options_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 {
-	struct args				*args = self->args;
-	struct session				*s = cmdq->state.tflag.s;
-	struct winlink				*wl = cmdq->state.tflag.wl;
-	struct options				*oo;
-	enum options_table_scope		 scope;
-	int					 quiet;
+	struct args			*args = self->args;
+	struct session			*s = cmdq->state.tflag.s;
+	struct winlink			*wl = cmdq->state.tflag.wl;
+	struct options			*oo;
+	enum options_table_scope	 scope;
+	int				 quiet;
+	const char			*target;
 
 	if (args_has(self->args, 's')) {
 		oo = global_options;
@@ -78,13 +79,27 @@ cmd_show_options_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 		scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_WINDOW;
 		if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 			oo = global_w_options;
-		else
+		else if (wl == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL) {
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such window: %s", target);
+			} else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current window");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		} else
 			oo = wl->window->options;
 	} else {
 		scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_SESSION;
 		if (args_has(self->args, 'g'))
 			oo = global_s_options;
-		else
+		else if (s == NULL) {
+			target = args_get(args, 't');
+			if (target != NULL) {
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no such session: %s", target);
+			} else
+				cmdq_error(cmdq, "no current session");
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		} else
 			oo = s->options;
 	}