diff --git a/bdfr/connector.py b/bdfr/connector.py
index 8a6f0bf..a4165fc 100644
--- a/bdfr/connector.py
+++ b/bdfr/connector.py
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ class RedditConnector(metaclass=ABCMeta):
         if self.args.subreddit:
             out = []
             for reddit in self.split_args_input(self.args.subreddit):
+                if reddit == 'friends' and self.authenticated is False:
+                    logger.error('Cannot read friends subreddit without an authenticated instance')
+                    continue
                 try:
                     reddit = self.reddit_instance.subreddit(reddit)
                     try:
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py b/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
index 56da1d5..4ee0bba 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ def test_cli_download_long(test_args: list[str], tmp_path: Path):
     ['--subreddit', 'submitters', '-L', 10],  # Private subreddit
     ['--subreddit', 'donaldtrump', '-L', 10],  # Banned subreddit
     ['--user', 'djnish', '--user', 'helen_darten', '-m', 'cuteanimalpics', '-L', 10],
+    ['--subreddit', 'friends', '-L', 10],
 ))
 def test_cli_download_soft_fail(test_args: list[str], tmp_path: Path):
     runner = CliRunner()