diff --git a/pkg/config/app.go b/pkg/config/app.go
index 1d25eec35..85793b8ee 100644
--- a/pkg/config/app.go
+++ b/pkg/config/app.go
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ func TemplateAppEnvSample(recipeName, appName, server, domain string) error {
 
 	err = ioutil.WriteFile(appEnvPath, []byte(newContents), 0)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	logrus.Debugf("copied & templated %s to %s", envSamplePath, appEnvPath)