diff --git a/dvc/exceptions.py b/dvc/exceptions.py
index 07a0ce8061..9bab2eeaf7 100644
--- a/dvc/exceptions.py
+++ b/dvc/exceptions.py
@@ -328,3 +328,10 @@ def __init__(self, target_infos):
 
 class CollectCacheError(DvcException):
     pass
+
+
+class RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError(DvcException):
+    def __init__(self, url):
+        super(RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError, self).__init__(
+            "No DVC remote is specified in target repository '{}'".format(url)
+        )
diff --git a/dvc/repo/get.py b/dvc/repo/get.py
index 0117006840..1f1afdb6d9 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/get.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/get.py
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 
 import shortuuid
 
+from dvc.config import NoRemoteError
 from dvc.exceptions import GetDVCFileError
 from dvc.exceptions import NotDvcRepoError
 from dvc.exceptions import OutputNotFoundError
+from dvc.exceptions import RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError
 from dvc.exceptions import UrlNotDvcRepoError
 from dvc.external_repo import external_repo
 from dvc.path_info import PathInfo
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ def get(url, path, out=None, rev=None):
             with o.repo.state:
                 o.checkout()
 
+    except NoRemoteError:
+        raise RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError(url)
     except NotDvcRepoError:
         raise UrlNotDvcRepoError(url)
     except OutputNotFoundError:
diff --git a/dvc/repo/imp.py b/dvc/repo/imp.py
index 68ead389b6..d15697dbd1 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/imp.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/imp.py
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
+from dvc.config import NoRemoteError
+from dvc.exceptions import RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError
+
+
 def imp(self, url, path, out=None, rev=None):
     erepo = {"url": url}
     if rev is not None:
         erepo["rev"] = rev
 
-    return self.imp_url(path, out=out, erepo=erepo, locked=True)
+    try:
+        return self.imp_url(path, out=out, erepo=erepo, locked=True)
+    except NoRemoteError:
+        raise RemoteNotSpecifiedInTargetRepoError(url)