diff --git a/pkg/git/common.go b/pkg/git/common.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff4eb7d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/git/common.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package git
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// EnsureGitRepo ensures a git repo .git folder exists
+func EnsureGitRepo(repoPath string) error {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(repoPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no .git directory in %s?", repoPath)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index 61be4dc7..f6edf7ee 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ func EnsureExists(recipe string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if err := gitPkg.EnsureGitRepo(recipeDir); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -124,6 +128,10 @@ func EnsureVersion(recipeName, version string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("'%s' has locally unstaged changes", recipeName)
 	}
 
+	if err := gitPkg.EnsureGitRepo(recipeDir); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	repo, err := git.PlainOpen(recipeDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -184,6 +192,10 @@ func EnsureLatest(recipeName string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("'%s' has locally unstaged changes", recipeName)
 	}
 
+	if err := gitPkg.EnsureGitRepo(recipeDir); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	logrus.Debugf("attempting to open git repository in '%s'", recipeDir)
 
 	repo, err := git.PlainOpen(recipeDir)