diff --git a/tools/commands-packages.js b/tools/commands-packages.js
index b2caa483bd..954433b21d 100644
--- a/tools/commands-packages.js
+++ b/tools/commands-packages.js
@@ -2094,15 +2094,22 @@ main.registerCommand({
   }
 
   _.each(constraints, function (constraint) {
+    var thisConstraintFailed = false;
+
     // Check that the package exists.
     doOrDie({title: 'Checking package: ' + constraint.name }, function () {
       if (! catalog.complete.getPackage(constraint.name)) {
         Console.error(constraint.name + ": no such package");
-        failed = true;
+        thisConstraintFailed = true;
         return;
       }
     });
 
+    if (thisConstraintFailed) {
+      failed = true;
+      return;
+    }
+
     // If the version was specified, check that the version exists.
     _.each(constraint.constraints, function (constr) {
       if (constr.version !== null) {
@@ -2112,11 +2119,17 @@ main.registerCommand({
         if (! versionInfo) {
           Console.stderr.write(
             constraint.name + "@" + constr.version  + ": no such version\n");
-          failed = true;
+          thisConstraintFailed = true;
           return;
         }
       }
     });
+
+    if (thisConstraintFailed) {
+      failed = true;
+      return;
+    }
+
     // Check that the constraint is new. If we are already using the package at
     // the same constraint in the app, return from this function, but don't
     // fail. Rejecting the entire command because a part of it is a no-op is
diff --git a/tools/tests/package-tests.js b/tools/tests/package-tests.js
index b4f4bb4342..121c4a4571 100644
--- a/tools/tests/package-tests.js
+++ b/tools/tests/package-tests.js
@@ -285,6 +285,13 @@ selftest.define("add packages to app", ["net"], function () {
   run.matchErr("no such version");
   run.expectExit(1);
 
+  // Adding a nonexistent package at a nonexistent version should print
+  // only one error message, not two. (We used to print "no such
+  // package" and "no such version".)
+  run = s.run("add", "not-a-real-package-and-never-will-be@1.0.0");
+  run.matchErr("no such package");
+  run.expectExit(1);
+  run.forbidAll("no such version");
 
   run = s.run("add", "accounts-base");
 
@@ -294,6 +301,15 @@ selftest.define("add packages to app", ["net"], function () {
   checkPackages(s,
                 ["meteor-platform", "accounts-base"]);
 
+  // Adding the nonexistent version now should still say "no such
+  // version". Regression test for
+  // https://github.com/meteor/meteor/issues/2898.
+  run = s.run("add", "accounts-base@0.123.123");
+  run.matchErr("no such version");
+  run.expectExit(1);
+  run.forbidAll("Currently using accounts-base");
+  run.forbidAll("will be changed to");
+
   run = s.run("--once");
 
   run = s.run("add", "say-something@1.0.0");