diff --git a/keyring/keyring.go b/keyring/keyring.go
index 43dc428..9abfc9e 100644
--- a/keyring/keyring.go
+++ b/keyring/keyring.go
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ func NewKeyPair(root, name, email string) error {
 
 // ListKeys prints keyring information to w.
 func ListKeys(root string, w io.Writer) error {
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	secs, pubs, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ func ListKeys(root string, w io.Writer) error {
 
 // Export prints pubkey information associated with email to w.
 func Export(root string, w io.Writer, email string) error {
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	_, pubs, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@ func Import(root string, w io.Reader) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "reading keyring")
 	}
 
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	_, pubs, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ func Import(root string, w io.Reader) error {
 
 // Sign takes an id and a reader and writes the signature for that id to sig.
 func Sign(root, id string, in io.Reader, sig io.Writer) error {
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	secs, _, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ func Sign(root, id string, in io.Reader, sig io.Writer) error {
 
 // Verify verifies a file's deatched signature.
 func Verify(root string, file, sig io.Reader) error {
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	_, pubs, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ func Verify(root string, file, sig io.Reader) error {
 // It skips public keys that have matching secret keys, and does not effect
 // private keys.
 func Remove(root string, id string) error {
-	if err := ensureDir(root); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find or create pgp dir")
+	if err := checkDir(root); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't find pgp dir")
 	}
 	srn, prn := getNames(root)
 	secs, pubs, err := getELs(srn, prn)
@@ -266,6 +266,14 @@ func pGPDir(root string) string {
 	return filepath.Join(root, "var", "lib", "pm", "pgp")
 }
 
+func checkDir(root string) error {
+	d := pGPDir(root)
+	if !fs.Exists(d) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("pgp dir does not exist")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func ensureDir(root string) error {
 	d := pGPDir(root)
 	if !fs.Exists(d) {