diff --git a/pkg/ssh/cmd/branch.go b/pkg/ssh/cmd/branch.go
index c43ce974f..daa0efaa0 100644
--- a/pkg/ssh/cmd/branch.go
+++ b/pkg/ssh/cmd/branch.go
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ func branchDeleteCommand() *cobra.Command {
 		Use:               "delete REPOSITORY BRANCH",
 		Aliases:           []string{"remove", "rm", "del"},
 		Short:             "Delete a branch",
+		Args:              cobra.ExactArgs(2),
 		PersistentPreRunE: checkIfCollab,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			ctx := cmd.Context()
diff --git a/testscript/testdata/repo-delete.txtar b/testscript/testdata/repo-delete.txtar
index 403c96043..ca513e782 100644
--- a/testscript/testdata/repo-delete.txtar
+++ b/testscript/testdata/repo-delete.txtar
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ soft repo create repo-to-delete
 soft repo delete repo-to-delete
 ! soft repo delete nope
 stderr '.*not found.*'
+
+# missing argument should fail
+! soft repo branch delete repo1
+stderr 'Error.*accepts 2 arg.*'
+
 soft repo list
 stdout 'repo1'