diff --git a/src/cli/backup/exchange.go b/src/cli/backup/exchange.go
index 1d779b0ad..9640bae45 100644
--- a/src/cli/backup/exchange.go
+++ b/src/cli/backup/exchange.go
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func detailsExchangeCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	ds := sel.Reduce(ctx, d)
 	if len(ds.Entries) == 0 {
-		Info(ctx, "nothing to display: no items in the backup match the provided selectors")
+		Info(ctx, selectors.ErrorNoMatchingItems)
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/internal/operations/restore.go b/src/internal/operations/restore.go
index ff6bc8ccb..069d46448 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/restore.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/restore.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func (op *RestoreOperation) Run(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 		// format the details and retrieve the items from kopia
 		fds = er.Reduce(ctx, d)
 		if len(fds.Entries) == 0 {
-			return errors.New("nothing to restore: no items in the backup match the provided selectors")
+			return selectors.ErrorNoMatchingItems
 		}
 
 	case selectors.ServiceOneDrive:
diff --git a/src/pkg/selectors/selectors.go b/src/pkg/selectors/selectors.go
index bc88608c8..88bca941f 100644
--- a/src/pkg/selectors/selectors.go
+++ b/src/pkg/selectors/selectors.go
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ const (
 	ServiceOneDrive                // OneDrive
 )
 
-var ErrorBadSelectorCast = errors.New("wrong selector service type")
+var (
+	ErrorBadSelectorCast = errors.New("wrong selector service type")
+	ErrorNoMatchingItems = errors.New("no items match the specified selectors")
+)
 
 const (
 	scopeKeyCategory   = "category"