diff --git a/plan/plan.go b/plan/plan.go
index ad7b58ad..97307926 100644
--- a/plan/plan.go
+++ b/plan/plan.go
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ package plan
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -69,6 +72,13 @@ func (p *Plan) registerLocalDirs() error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		abs, err := filepath.Abs(dir)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if _, err := os.Stat(abs); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("path %q does not exist", abs)
+		}
 		p.context.LocalDirs.Add(dir)
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/plan.bats b/tests/plan.bats
index b2e29e32..58bb7f21 100644
--- a/tests/plan.bats
+++ b/tests/plan.bats
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ setup() {
   "$DAGGER" --europa up ./plan/inputs/directories/exists.cue
 }
 
+@test "plan/inputs/directories not exists" {
+  cd "$TESTDIR"
+  run "$DAGGER" --europa up ./plan/inputs/directories/not_exists.cue
+	assert_failure
+	assert_output --partial 'tests/fasdfsdfs" does not exist'
+}
+
 @test "plan/inputs/directories conflicting values" {
   cd "$TESTDIR"
   run "$DAGGER" --europa up ./plan/inputs/directories/conflicting_values.cue
diff --git a/tests/plan/inputs/directories/not_exists.cue b/tests/plan/inputs/directories/not_exists.cue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5fc01c0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/plan/inputs/directories/not_exists.cue
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"alpha.dagger.io/europa/dagger/engine"
+)
+
+engine.#Plan & {
+	// should fail because path does not exist locally
+	inputs: directories: test: path: "./fasdfsdfs"
+	actions: verify: engine.#ReadFile & {
+		input: inputs.directories.test.contents
+		path:  "test.txt"
+	} & {
+		contents: "local directory"
+	}
+}