diff --git a/src/commands/environment/copy-example-files.ts b/src/commands/environment/copy-example-files.ts
index 1c17788..c6579f2 100644
--- a/src/commands/environment/copy-example-files.ts
+++ b/src/commands/environment/copy-example-files.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
 import { Command } from 'commander'
 import { projectConfig } from '../../config/project.config'
-import { copyFile, readPathMatchingFiles } from '../../utils/file-system'
+import { copyFile, isDirectory, readPathMatchingFiles } from '../../utils/file-system'
+import logger from '../../utils/log'
 
 export function copyExampleFilesCommand() {
   return new Command()
     .name('copy-example-files')
-    .summary('Copy example dotenv files on each repo path')
+    .summary('Copy example dotenv (.env.example) files on each repo path')
     .action(() => {
       for (const path of projectConfig.reposPaths()) {
+        if (!isDirectory(path)) {
+          logger.error(`The repository path '${path}' does not yet exist.`)
+          logger.error('Did you run `dems setup` or `dems git clone`?')
+          process.exit(1);
+        }
+
         const exampleEnvFiles = readPathMatchingFiles(path, '.env.example')
 
         if (exampleEnvFiles.length > 0) {
@@ -17,6 +24,10 @@ export function copyExampleFilesCommand() {
               target: file.replace('.example', ''),
             })
           }
+        } else {
+          logger.error(`No example env files were found in path: '${path}'`)
+          logger.error('Current example files in scope: [.env.example]')
+          process.exit(1)
         }
       }
     })
diff --git a/src/commands/setup/index.ts b/src/commands/setup/index.ts
index 34e3c49..31499d3 100644
--- a/src/commands/setup/index.ts
+++ b/src/commands/setup/index.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { Command } from 'commander'
+import logger from '../../utils/log'
 import { composeCommand } from '../compose'
 import { depsCopyCommand } from '../dependencies/copy'
 import { copyExampleFilesCommand } from '../environment/copy-example-files'
 import { generateDotEnvCommand } from '../environment/generate-dot-env'
 import { gitCloneCommand } from '../git/clone'
 import { createProjectCommand } from '../project/create'
-import logger from '../../utils/log'
 
 export function setupCommand() {
   return new Command()