diff --git a/cli/tools/registry/pm/outdated.rs b/cli/tools/registry/pm/outdated.rs
index 9389f596786417..aef65a5de00a3f 100644
--- a/cli/tools/registry/pm/outdated.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/registry/pm/outdated.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
+use deno_core::anyhow::bail;
 use deno_core::error::AnyError;
 use deno_semver::package::PackageNv;
 use deno_semver::package::PackageReq;
@@ -197,6 +198,15 @@ pub async fn outdated(
   let jsr_fetch_resolver =
     Arc::new(JsrFetchResolver::new(file_fetcher.clone()));
 
+  if !cli_options.start_dir.has_deno_json()
+    && !cli_options.start_dir.has_pkg_json()
+  {
+    bail!(
+      "No deno.json or package.json in \"{}\".",
+      cli_options.initial_cwd().display(),
+    );
+  }
+
   let args = dep_manager_args(
     &factory,
     cli_options,
diff --git a/tests/specs/update/deno_json/__test__.jsonc b/tests/specs/update/deno_json/__test__.jsonc
index c57115fb02b1c5..7983d2c56f98b9 100644
--- a/tests/specs/update/deno_json/__test__.jsonc
+++ b/tests/specs/update/deno_json/__test__.jsonc
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
           "args": "outdated",
           "output": "outdated.out"
         },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated foobar",
+          "output": ""
+        },
         {
           // Respect `--quiet flag and don't print hint how to update
           "args": "outdated --quiet",
@@ -43,6 +48,11 @@
         {
           "args": "outdated --compatible",
           "output": "outdated_compatible.out"
+        },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated --compatible foobar",
+          "output": ""
         }
       ]
     },
diff --git a/tests/specs/update/mixed_workspace/__test__.jsonc b/tests/specs/update/mixed_workspace/__test__.jsonc
index 8c846467d47894..9810e15bdd6eac 100644
--- a/tests/specs/update/mixed_workspace/__test__.jsonc
+++ b/tests/specs/update/mixed_workspace/__test__.jsonc
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@
         {
           "args": "outdated",
           "output": "print_outdated/root.out"
+        },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated foobar",
+          "output": ""
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -38,6 +43,11 @@
         {
           "args": "outdated --recursive",
           "output": "print_outdated/recursive.out"
+        },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated foobar",
+          "output": ""
         }
       ]
     },
diff --git a/tests/specs/update/no_config_file/__test__.jsonc b/tests/specs/update/no_config_file/__test__.jsonc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..1032e79279f0b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/specs/update/no_config_file/__test__.jsonc
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "tempDir": true,
+  "args": "outdated",
+  "exitCode": 1,
+  "output": "error: No deno.json or package.json in \"[WILDLINE]\".\n"
+}
diff --git a/tests/specs/update/package_json/__test__.jsonc b/tests/specs/update/package_json/__test__.jsonc
index 19d576dfc00194..b86b9956cc7b86 100644
--- a/tests/specs/update/package_json/__test__.jsonc
+++ b/tests/specs/update/package_json/__test__.jsonc
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
         {
           "args": "outdated",
           "output": "outdated.out"
+        },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated foobar",
+          "output": ""
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -37,6 +42,11 @@
         {
           "args": "outdated --compatible",
           "output": "outdated_compatible.out"
+        },
+        {
+          // Filtering that matches nothing, should exit cleanly
+          "args": "outdated --compatible foobar",
+          "output": ""
         }
       ]
     },