diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 69a0e05..0b14024 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
                 for (const auto& service_info : servicelist) {
                     dropshell::service_runner runner(server_name, service_info.service_name);
-                    if (!runner.isValid) {
+                    if (!runner.isValid()) {
                         std::cerr << "Error: Failed to initialize service" << std::endl;
                         return 1;
                     }
diff --git a/src/service_runner.hpp b/src/service_runner.hpp
index 22dd988..915899a 100644
--- a/src/service_runner.hpp
+++ b/src/service_runner.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ typedef struct ServiceStatus {
 class service_runner {
     public:
         service_runner(const std::string& server_name, const std::string& service_name);
-        bool isValid;
+        bool isValid() const { return mValid; }
 
         // run a command over ssh, using the credentials from server.env (via server_env.hpp)
         // first check that the command corresponds to a valid .sh file in the service directory
diff --git a/src/services.cpp b/src/services.cpp
index 2f26b7f..2785b8c 100644
--- a/src/services.cpp
+++ b/src/services.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,17 @@ ServiceInfo get_service_info(const std::string &server_name, const std::string &
     std::string local_service_env_path = get_local_service_env_path(server_name, service_name);
     envmanager env(local_service_env_path);
     if (!env.load()) {
-        std::cerr << "Error: service.env missing from " << local_service_env_path << std::endl;
+        if (std::filesystem::exists(get_local_service_path(server_name, service_name)))
+            std::cerr << "Error: service malformed - service.env missing from " << local_service_env_path << std::endl;
+        else
+        {
+            template_info tinfo;
+            get_template_info(service_name, tinfo);
+            std::string template_name = service_name;
+            if (tinfo.local_template_path.empty())
+                template_name = "TEMPLATE";
+            std::cerr << "Error: you need to create that service first, with:  dropshell create-service " << server_name << " "<<template_name<<" " << service_name << std::endl;
+        }
         return ServiceInfo();
     }
     service.template_name = env.get_variable("TEMPLATE");