diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
index 3f3aafe8ab9bb..0956a8f3ba3fe 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/bin/reify.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const fs = require('node:fs')
+const path = require('node:path')
 const Arborist = require('../')
 
 const printTree = require('./lib/print-tree.js')
@@ -30,19 +32,23 @@ const printDiff = diff => {
   })
 }
 
-module.exports = (options, time) => {
+module.exports = async (options, time) => {
+  // Check for package.json
+  if (!fs.existsSync(path.join(options.path, 'package.json'))) {
+    log.error('No package.json found in the current directory.')
+    log.error('Please navigate to the correct directory or run npm init.')
+    throw new Error('Aborted due to missing package.json')
+  }
+
   const arb = new Arborist(options)
-  return arb
-    .reify(options)
-    .then(time)
-    .then(async ({ timing, result: tree }) => {
-      printTree(tree)
-      if (options.dryRun) {
-        printDiff(arb.diff)
-      }
-      if (tree.meta && options.save) {
-        await tree.meta.save()
-      }
-      return `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
-    })
+  const { timing, result: tree } = await arb.reify(options).then(time)
+
+  printTree(tree)
+  if (options.dryRun) {
+    printDiff(arb.diff)
+  }
+  if (tree.meta && options.save) {
+    await tree.meta.save()
+  }
+  return `resolved ${tree.inventory.size} deps in ${timing.seconds}`
 }