diff --git a/src/t_stream.c b/src/t_stream.c
index c366578c..4c08affc 100644
--- a/src/t_stream.c
+++ b/src/t_stream.c
@@ -1701,24 +1701,29 @@ NULL
     sds grpname = NULL;
     streamCG *cg = NULL;
     char *opt = c->argv[1]->ptr; /* Subcommand name. */
+    int mkstream = 0;
+    robj *o;
 
-    /* Lookup the key now, this is common for all the subcommands but HELP. */
-    if (c->argc >= 4) {
-        robj *o = lookupKeyWrite(c->db,c->argv[2]);
-
-        /* CREATE has an MKSTREAM option that creates the stream if it
-         * does not exist. */
-        if (c->argc == 6 && !strcasecmp(opt,"CREATE")) {
-            if (strcasecmp(c->argv[5]->ptr,"MKSTREAM")) {
-                addReplySubcommandSyntaxError(c);
-                return;
-            }
-            if (o == NULL) {
-                o = createStreamObject();
-                dbAdd(c->db,c->argv[2],o);
-            }
+    /* CREATE has an MKSTREAM option that creates the stream if it
+     * does not exist. */
+    if (c->argc == 6 && !strcasecmp(opt,"CREATE")) {
+        if (strcasecmp(c->argv[5]->ptr,"MKSTREAM")) {
+            addReplySubcommandSyntaxError(c);
+            return;
         }
+        mkstream = 1;
+        grpname = c->argv[3]->ptr;
+    }
 
+    /* Everything but the "HELP" option requires a key and group name. */
+    if (c->argc > 4) {
+        o = lookupKeyWrite(c->db,c->argv[2]);
+        if (o) s = o->ptr;
+        grpname = c->argv[3]->ptr;
+    }
+
+    /* Check for missing key/group. */
+    if (c->argc >= 4 && !mkstream) {
         /* At this point key must exist, or there is an error. */
         if (o == NULL) {
             addReplyError(c,
@@ -1729,8 +1734,6 @@ NULL
         }
 
         if (checkType(c,o,OBJ_STREAM)) return;
-        s = o->ptr;
-        grpname = c->argv[3]->ptr;
 
         /* Certain subcommands require the group to exist. */
         if ((cg = streamLookupCG(s,grpname)) == NULL &&
@@ -1752,6 +1755,14 @@ NULL
         } else if (streamParseStrictIDOrReply(c,c->argv[4],&id,0) != C_OK) {
             return;
         }
+
+        /* Handle the MKSTREAM option now that the command can no longer fail. */
+        if (s == NULL && mkstream) {
+            robj *o = createStreamObject();
+            dbAdd(c->db,c->argv[2],o);
+            s = o->ptr;
+        }
+
         streamCG *cg = streamCreateCG(s,grpname,sdslen(grpname),&id);
         if (cg) {
             addReply(c,shared.ok);