diff --git a/contrib/scalar/scalar.c b/contrib/scalar/scalar.c
index 58ca0e56f1..6d58c7a698 100644
--- a/contrib/scalar/scalar.c
+++ b/contrib/scalar/scalar.c
@@ -43,9 +43,11 @@ static void setup_enlistment_directory(int argc, const char **argv,
 		usage_with_options(usagestr, options);
 
 	/* find the worktree, determine its corresponding root */
-	if (argc == 1)
+	if (argc == 1) {
 		strbuf_add_absolute_path(&path, argv[0]);
-	else if (strbuf_getcwd(&path) < 0)
+		if (!is_directory(path.buf))
+			die(_("'%s' does not exist"), path.buf);
+	} else if (strbuf_getcwd(&path) < 0)
 		die(_("need a working directory"));
 
 	strbuf_trim_trailing_dir_sep(&path);
diff --git a/contrib/scalar/t/t9099-scalar.sh b/contrib/scalar/t/t9099-scalar.sh
index 89781568f4..bb42354a8b 100755
--- a/contrib/scalar/t/t9099-scalar.sh
+++ b/contrib/scalar/t/t9099-scalar.sh
@@ -93,4 +93,9 @@ test_expect_success 'scalar supports -c/-C' '
 	test true = "$(git -C sub config core.preloadIndex)"
 '
 
+test_expect_success '`scalar [...] <dir>` errors out when dir is missing' '
+	! scalar run config cloned 2>err &&
+	grep "cloned. does not exist" err
+'
+
 test_done