diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/style.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/style.rb
index c6201e3711..51937c3e53 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/style.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/style.rb
@@ -94,7 +94,11 @@ module Homebrew
           RuboCop::Cop::Cop.registry.departments.include?(cop.to_sym)
       end
 
-      args << "--only" << cops_to_include.join(",") unless cops_to_include.empty?
+      if cops_to_include.empty?
+        odie "RuboCops #{options[:only_cops].join(",")} were not found"
+      end
+
+      args << "--only" << cops_to_include.join(",")
     end
 
     if files.nil?
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
index 5b2edfcf6e..443a458160 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
@@ -75,16 +75,18 @@ module Homebrew
 
     only_cops = ARGV.value("only-cops").to_s.split(",")
     except_cops = ARGV.value("except-cops").to_s.split(",")
+
     if !only_cops.empty? && !except_cops.empty?
       odie "--only-cops and --except-cops cannot be used simultaneously!"
-    elsif (!only_cops.empty? || !except_cops.empty?) && strict
-      odie "--only-cops/--except-cops and --strict cannot be used simultaneously"
+    elsif (!only_cops.empty? || !except_cops.empty?) && (strict || ARGV.value("only"))
+      odie "--only-cops/--except-cops and --strict/--only cannot be used simultaneously"
     end
 
     options = { fix: ARGV.flag?("--fix"), realpath: true }
 
     if !only_cops.empty?
       options[:only_cops] = only_cops
+      ARGV.push("--only=style")
     elsif !except_cops.empty?
       options[:except_cops] = except_cops
     elsif !strict