diff --git a/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp b/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
index 5fe3699..fa40f7b 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
@@ -53,27 +53,32 @@ int nuke_one(std::string server, std::string service)
         if (!SIvalid(service_info))
             std::cerr << "Warning: Invalid service: " << service << std::endl;
 
-        // run the nuke script on the remote server if it exists.
-        // otherwise just uninstall.
-        if (gTemplateManager().template_command_exists(service_info.template_name, "nuke"))
+        if (server_env.check_remote_dir_exists(remotepath::service(server, service)))
         {
-            if (!server_env.run_remote_template_command(service, "nuke", {}, false, {}))
-                std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to run nuke script: " << service << std::endl;
+            // run the nuke script on the remote server if it exists.
+            // otherwise just uninstall.
+            if (gTemplateManager().template_command_exists(service_info.template_name, "nuke"))
+            {
+                if (!server_env.run_remote_template_command(service, "nuke", {}, false, {}))
+                    std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to run nuke script: " << service << std::endl;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                if (!server_env.run_remote_template_command(service, "uninstall", {}, false, {}))
+                    std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to uninstall service: " << service << std::endl;
+            }
+
+            // Remove the service directory from the server, running in a docker container as root.
+            if (server_env.remove_remote_dir(remotepath::service(server, service), true))
+            {
+                ASSERT(!server_env.check_remote_dir_exists(remotepath::service(server, service)), "Service directory still found on server after uninstall");
+                std::cout << "Remote service directory removed: " << remotepath::service(server, service) << std::endl;
+            }
+            else 
+                std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to remove remote service directory" << std::endl;
         }
         else
-        {
-            if (!server_env.run_remote_template_command(service, "uninstall", {}, false, {}))
-                std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to uninstall service: " << service << std::endl;
-        }
-
-        // Remove the service directory from the server, running in a docker container as root.
-        if (server_env.remove_remote_dir(remotepath::service(server, service), true))
-        {
-            ASSERT(!server_env.check_remote_dir_exists(remotepath::service(server, service)), "Service directory still found on server after uninstall");
-            std::cout << "Removed remote service directory " << remotepath::service(server, service) << std::endl;
-        }
-        else 
-            std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to remove remote service directory" << std::endl;
+            std::cerr << "Warning: Service not found on remote server: " << remotepath::service(server, service) << std::endl;
     }
     else
         std::cerr << "Warning: Can't nuke the remote service as the server is invalid: " << server << std::endl;
@@ -83,14 +88,17 @@ int nuke_one(std::string server, std::string service)
     if (local_service_path.empty() || !std::filesystem::exists(local_service_path))
     {
         std::cerr << "Warning: Local service directory not found: " << local_service_path << std::endl;
-        return 1;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        auto itemsdeleted = std::filesystem::remove_all(local_service_path);
+        if (itemsdeleted == 0)
+            std::cerr << "Error: Failed to remove local service directory" << std::endl;
     }
 
-    auto ret = std::filesystem::remove_all(local_service_path);
-    if (ret != 0)
-        std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to remove local service directory" << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "Nuked service " << service << " on server " << server << std::endl;
 
-    return ret == 0 ? 0 : 1;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int nuke_handler(const CommandContext &ctx)
diff --git a/source/src/server_env_manager.cpp b/source/src/server_env_manager.cpp
index 7cbd650..017a396 100644
--- a/source/src/server_env_manager.cpp
+++ b/source/src/server_env_manager.cpp
@@ -183,8 +183,8 @@ bool server_env_manager::remove_remote_dir(const std::string &dir_path, bool sil
     "docker run --rm -v " + quote(parent_path.string()) + ":/parent " +
         " alpine rm -rf \"/parent/" + target_dir + "\"";
 
-    if (!silent)
-        std::cout << "Running command: " << remote_cmd << std::endl;
+    // if (!silent)
+    //     std::cout << "Running command: " << remote_cmd << std::endl;
 
     sCommand scommand("", remote_cmd,{});
     cMode mode = (silent ? cMode::Silent : cMode::Defaults);
diff --git a/source/src/services.cpp b/source/src/services.cpp
index 1e4277b..14a1bab 100644
--- a/source/src/services.cpp
+++ b/source/src/services.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "utils/utils.hpp"
 #include "server_env_manager.hpp"
 #include "servers.hpp"
+#include "assert.hpp"
 
 #include <iostream>
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -68,6 +69,12 @@ LocalServiceInfo get_service_info(const std::string &server_name, const std::str
     if (service.local_service_path.empty()) 
         return LocalServiceInfo();
 
+    // check the service directory exists.
+    if (!fs::exists(service.local_service_path))
+    {
+        std::cerr << "Error: Service directory not found: " << service.local_service_path << std::endl;
+        return LocalServiceInfo();
+    }
 
     // now set the template name and path.
     std::map<std::string, std::string> variables;
@@ -221,7 +228,7 @@ bool get_all_service_env_vars(const std::string &server_name, const std::string
 
     if (localpath::service(server_name, service_name).empty() || !fs::exists(localpath::service(server_name, service_name)))
     {
-        std::cerr << "Error: Service not found: " << service_name << std::endl;
+        std::cerr << "Error: Service not found: " << service_name << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -229,7 +236,6 @@ bool get_all_service_env_vars(const std::string &server_name, const std::string
     if (server_info.ssh_host.empty()) 
         std::cerr << "Error: Server " << server_name << " not found - ssh_host empty, so HOST_NAME not set" << std::endl;
 
-
     // add in some handy variables.
     // if we change these, we also need to update agent/_allservicesstatus.sh
     all_env_vars["CONFIG_PATH"] = remotepath::service_config(server_name,service_name);