diff --git a/lib/mrsk/cli/build.rb b/lib/mrsk/cli/build.rb
index 289f0bcb..0e6e9a7c 100644
--- a/lib/mrsk/cli/build.rb
+++ b/lib/mrsk/cli/build.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 class Mrsk::Cli::Build < Mrsk::Cli::Base
+  class BuildError < StandardError; end
+
   desc "deliver", "Build app and push app image to registry then pull image on servers"
   def deliver
     with_lock do
@@ -14,7 +16,9 @@ class Mrsk::Cli::Build < Mrsk::Cli::Base
 
       run_locally do
         begin
-          MRSK.with_verbosity(:debug) { execute *MRSK.builder.push }
+          if cli.verify_local_dependencies
+            MRSK.with_verbosity(:debug) { execute *MRSK.builder.push }
+          end
         rescue SSHKit::Command::Failed => e
           if e.message =~ /(no builder)|(no such file or directory)/
             error "Missing compatible builder, so creating a new one first"
@@ -77,4 +81,22 @@ class Mrsk::Cli::Build < Mrsk::Cli::Base
       puts capture(*MRSK.builder.info)
     end
   end
+
+
+  desc "", "" # Really a private method, but needed to be invoked from #push
+  def verify_local_dependencies
+    run_locally do
+      begin
+        execute *MRSK.builder.ensure_local_dependencies_installed
+      rescue SSHKit::Command::Failed => e
+        build_error = e.message =~ /command not found/ ?
+          "Docker is not installed locally" :
+          "Docker buildx plugin is not installed locally"
+
+        raise BuildError, build_error
+      end
+    end
+
+    true
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/mrsk/commands/builder.rb b/lib/mrsk/commands/builder.rb
index 85dbce0a..58ca626e 100644
--- a/lib/mrsk/commands/builder.rb
+++ b/lib/mrsk/commands/builder.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class Mrsk::Commands::Builder < Mrsk::Commands::Base
   delegate :create, :remove, :push, :clean, :pull, :info, to: :target
 
   def name
-    target.class.to_s.remove("Mrsk::Commands::Builder::").underscore
+    target.class.to_s.remove("Mrsk::Commands::Builder::").underscore.inquiry
   end
 
   def target
@@ -33,4 +33,24 @@ class Mrsk::Commands::Builder < Mrsk::Commands::Base
   def multiarch_remote
     @multiarch_remote ||= Mrsk::Commands::Builder::Multiarch::Remote.new(config)
   end
+
+
+  def ensure_local_dependencies_installed
+    if name.native?
+      ensure_local_docker_installed
+    else
+      combine \
+        ensure_local_docker_installed,
+        ensure_local_buildx_installed
+    end
+  end
+
+  private
+    def ensure_local_docker_installed
+      docker "--version"
+    end
+
+    def ensure_local_buildx_installed
+      docker :buildx, "version"
+    end
 end
diff --git a/lib/mrsk/commands/builder/base.rb b/lib/mrsk/commands/builder/base.rb
index 15c6b188..32dcba4f 100644
--- a/lib/mrsk/commands/builder/base.rb
+++ b/lib/mrsk/commands/builder/base.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+
 class Mrsk::Commands::Builder::Base < Mrsk::Commands::Base
+  class BuilderError < StandardError; end
+
   delegate :argumentize, to: Mrsk::Utils
 
   def clean
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ class Mrsk::Commands::Builder::Base < Mrsk::Commands::Base
     context
   end
 
+
   private
     def build_tags
       [ "-t", config.absolute_image, "-t", config.latest_image ]
@@ -35,7 +39,11 @@ class Mrsk::Commands::Builder::Base < Mrsk::Commands::Base
     end
 
     def build_dockerfile
-      argumentize "--file", dockerfile
+      if Pathname.new(File.expand_path(dockerfile)).exist?
+        argumentize "--file", dockerfile
+      else
+        raise BuilderError, "Missing #{dockerfile}"
+      end
     end
 
     def args
diff --git a/test/cli/build_test.rb b/test/cli/build_test.rb
index a610d849..0835262c 100644
--- a/test/cli/build_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/build_test.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class CliBuildTest < CliTestCase
   end
 
   test "push" do
+    Mrsk::Cli::Build.any_instance.stubs(:verify_local_dependencies).returns(true)
     run_command("push").tap do |output|
       assert_match /docker buildx build --push --platform linux\/amd64,linux\/arm64 --builder mrsk-app-multiarch -t dhh\/app:999 -t dhh\/app:latest --label service="app" --file Dockerfile \. as .*@localhost/, output
     end
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ class CliBuildTest < CliTestCase
 
   test "push without builder" do
     stub_locking
+    Mrsk::Cli::Build.any_instance.stubs(:verify_local_dependencies).returns(true)
     SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.stubs(:execute)
       .with { |arg| arg == :docker }
       .raises(SSHKit::Command::Failed.new("no builder"))
@@ -68,6 +70,23 @@ class CliBuildTest < CliTestCase
     end
   end
 
+  test "verify local dependencies" do
+    Mrsk::Commands::Builder.any_instance.stubs(:name).returns("remote".inquiry)
+
+    run_command("verify_local_dependencies").tap do |output|
+      assert_match /docker --version && docker buildx version/, output
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "verify local dependencies with no buildx plugin" do
+    SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.stubs(:execute)
+      .with(:docker, "--version", "&&", :docker, :buildx, "version")
+      .raises(SSHKit::Command::Failed.new("no buildx"))
+
+    Mrsk::Commands::Builder.any_instance.stubs(:native_and_local?).returns(false)
+    assert_raises(Mrsk::Cli::Build::BuildError) { run_command("verify_local_dependencies") }
+  end
+
   private
     def run_command(*command)
       stdouted { Mrsk::Cli::Build.start([*command, "-c", "test/fixtures/deploy_with_accessories.yml"]) }
diff --git a/test/commands/builder_test.rb b/test/commands/builder_test.rb
index 1ecea021..e5f83f1c 100644
--- a/test/commands/builder_test.rb
+++ b/test/commands/builder_test.rb
@@ -52,12 +52,21 @@ class CommandsBuilderTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   end
 
   test "build dockerfile" do
+    Pathname.any_instance.expects(:exist?).returns(true).once
     builder = new_builder_command(builder: { "dockerfile" => "Dockerfile.xyz" })
     assert_equal \
       "-t dhh/app:123 -t dhh/app:latest --label service=\"app\" --file Dockerfile.xyz",
       builder.target.build_options.join(" ")
   end
 
+  test "missing dockerfile" do
+    Pathname.any_instance.expects(:exist?).returns(false).once
+    builder = new_builder_command(builder: { "dockerfile" => "Dockerfile.xyz" })
+    assert_raises(Mrsk::Commands::Builder::Base::BuilderError) do
+      builder.target.build_options.join(" ")
+    end
+  end
+
   test "build context" do
     builder = new_builder_command(builder: { "context" => ".." })
     assert_equal \
diff --git a/test/configuration_test.rb b/test/configuration_test.rb
index 2697673b..eda85484 100644
--- a/test/configuration_test.rb
+++ b/test/configuration_test.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class ConfigurationTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   end
 
   test "role" do
-    assert_equal "web", @config.role(:web).name
+    assert @config.role(:web).name.web?
     assert_equal "workers", @config_with_roles.role(:workers).name
     assert_nil @config.role(:missing)
   end