diff --git a/cmd/debos/debos.go b/cmd/debos/debos.go
index 0f9d6a16..ab4c0b4b 100644
--- a/cmd/debos/debos.go
+++ b/cmd/debos/debos.go
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ func main() {
 		context.Artifactdir, _ = os.Getwd()
 	}
 	context.Artifactdir = debos.CleanPath(context.Artifactdir)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(context.Artifactdir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		log.Printf("artifactdir does not exist: %v", err)
+		exitcode = 1
+		return
+	}
 
 	// Initialise origins map
 	context.Origins = make(map[string]string)