diff --git a/crates/tuono/src/cli.rs b/crates/tuono/src/cli.rs
index fb1e692a..de05360c 100644
--- a/crates/tuono/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/tuono/src/cli.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,15 @@ struct Args {
     action: Actions,
 }
 
+fn check_for_tuono_config() {
+    if !PathBuf::from("tuono.config.ts").exists() {
+        eprintln!("Cannot find tuono.config.ts - is this a tuono project?");
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+}
+
 fn init_tuono_folder(mode: Mode) -> std::io::Result<App> {
+    check_for_tuono_config();
     check_tuono_folder()?;
     let app = bundle_axum_source(mode)?;
     create_client_entry_files()?;
diff --git a/crates/tuono/tests/cli_build.rs b/crates/tuono/tests/cli_build.rs
index c5d6c74d..9b18b4ae 100644
--- a/crates/tuono/tests/cli_build.rs
+++ b/crates/tuono/tests/cli_build.rs
@@ -108,10 +108,7 @@ fn it_successfully_create_catch_all_routes() {
 
     temp_tuono_project.add_file("./src/routes/[...all_routes].rs");
 
-    temp_tuono_project.add_file_with_content(
-        "./src/routes/api/[...all_apis].rs",
-        &format!("{POST_API_FILE}"),
-    );
+    temp_tuono_project.add_file_with_content("./src/routes/api/[...all_apis].rs", POST_API_FILE);
 
     let mut test_tuono_build = Command::cargo_bin("tuono").unwrap();
     test_tuono_build
@@ -177,3 +174,29 @@ fn it_fails_without_installed_build_script() {
         .failure()
         .stderr("[CLI] Failed to read tuono.config.ts\n");
 }
+
+#[test]
+#[serial]
+fn dev_fails_with_no_config() {
+    let _temp_tuono_project = TempTuonoProject::new_with_no_config();
+
+    let mut test_tuono_build = Command::cargo_bin("tuono").unwrap();
+    test_tuono_build
+        .arg("dev")
+        .assert()
+        .failure()
+        .stderr("Cannot find tuono.config.ts - is this a tuono project?\n");
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[serial]
+fn build_fails_with_no_config() {
+    let _temp_tuono_project = TempTuonoProject::new_with_no_config();
+
+    let mut test_tuono_build = Command::cargo_bin("tuono").unwrap();
+    test_tuono_build
+        .arg("dev")
+        .assert()
+        .failure()
+        .stderr("Cannot find tuono.config.ts - is this a tuono project?\n");
+}
diff --git a/crates/tuono/tests/utils.rs b/crates/tuono/tests/utils.rs
index 0396669e..87b8a167 100644
--- a/crates/tuono/tests/utils.rs
+++ b/crates/tuono/tests/utils.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ pub struct TempTuonoProject {
 
 impl TempTuonoProject {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
+        let project = TempTuonoProject::new_with_no_config();
+
+        project.add_file("./tuono.config.ts");
+
+        project
+    }
+
+    pub fn new_with_no_config() -> Self {
         let original_dir = env::current_dir().expect("Failed to read current_dir");
         let temp_dir = tempdir().expect("Failed to create temp_dir");
 
@@ -28,7 +36,7 @@ impl TempTuonoProject {
         self.temp_dir.path()
     }
 
-    pub fn add_file<'a>(&self, path: &'a str) -> File {
+    pub fn add_file(&self, path: &str) -> File {
         let path = PathBuf::from(path);
         create_all(
             path.parent().expect("Route path does not have any parent"),
@@ -55,7 +63,7 @@ impl TempTuonoProject {
 impl Drop for TempTuonoProject {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         // Set back the current dir in the previous state
-        env::set_current_dir(self.original_dir.to_owned())
+        env::set_current_dir(&self.original_dir)
             .expect("Failed to restore the original directory.");
     }
 }