diff --git a/lib/base-command.js b/lib/base-command.js
index 9be2857bd697d..e266eb07660c4 100644
--- a/lib/base-command.js
+++ b/lib/base-command.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 // Base class for npm.commands[cmd]
-const npmlog = require('npmlog')
 const usageUtil = require('./utils/usage.js')
 
 class BaseCommand {
@@ -37,8 +36,10 @@ class BaseCommand {
   }
 
   execWorkspaces (args, filters, cb) {
-    npmlog.warn('This command does not support workspaces.')
-    cb()
+    throw Object.assign(
+      new Error('This command does not support workspaces.'),
+      { code: 'ENOWORKSPACES' }
+    )
   }
 }
 module.exports = BaseCommand