diff --git a/context/connection.go b/context/connection.go
index d92a47f2..811e00e0 100644
--- a/context/connection.go
+++ b/context/connection.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func FindConnectionByURL(ctx Context, connectionString string) (*models.Connecti
 
 	name, namespace, found := extractConnectionNameType(connectionString)
 	if !found {
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid connection string: %q. Must be in connection://<namespace>/<name> format", connectionString)
 	}
 
 	connection, err := FindConnection(ctx, name, namespace)