diff --git a/bdfr/connector.py b/bdfr/connector.py
index 68efc0c..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:
@@ -394,7 +397,7 @@ class RedditConnector(metaclass=ABCMeta):
 
     @staticmethod
     def check_subreddit_status(subreddit: praw.models.Subreddit):
-        if subreddit.display_name == 'all':
+        if subreddit.display_name in ('all', 'friends'):
             return
         try:
             assert subreddit.id
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py b/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
index fca0f8b..4ee0bba 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/test_download_integration.py
@@ -58,6 +58,21 @@ def test_cli_download_subreddits(test_args: list[str], tmp_path: Path):
     assert 'Added submissions from subreddit ' in result.output
 
 
+@pytest.mark.online
+@pytest.mark.reddit
+@pytest.mark.authenticated
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not does_test_config_exist, reason='A test config file is required for integration tests')
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('test_args', (
+    ['--subreddit', 'friends', '-L', 10, '--authenticate'],
+))
+def test_cli_download_user_specific_subreddits(test_args: list[str], tmp_path: Path):
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    test_args = create_basic_args_for_download_runner(test_args, tmp_path)
+    result = runner.invoke(cli, test_args)
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert 'Added submissions from subreddit ' in result.output
+
+
 @pytest.mark.online
 @pytest.mark.reddit
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not does_test_config_exist, reason='A test config file is required for integration tests')
@@ -199,6 +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()