diff --git a/dotdrop/comparator.py b/dotdrop/comparator.py
index b516408..27cfa5f 100644
--- a/dotdrop/comparator.py
+++ b/dotdrop/comparator.py
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ class Comparator:
 
     def _comp_dir(self, left, right, ignore):
         """compare a directory"""
+        if not os.path.exists(right):
+            return ''
         if self._ignore([left, right], ignore):
             if self.debug:
                 self.log.dbg('ignoring diff {} and {}'.format(left, right))
diff --git a/dotdrop/installer.py b/dotdrop/installer.py
index 6e5385d..a3bc11c 100644
--- a/dotdrop/installer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/installer.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class Installer:
     def install(self, templater, src, dst):
         """install the src to dst using a template"""
         src = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(src))
+        if not os.path.exists(src):
+            self.log.err('source dotfile does not exist: {}'.format(src))
         dst = os.path.expanduser(dst)
         if self.totemp:
             dst = self._pivot_path(dst, self.totemp)
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ class Installer:
     def link(self, templater, src, dst):
         """set src as the link target of dst"""
         src = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(src))
+        if not os.path.exists(src):
+            self.log.err('source dotfile does not exist: {}'.format(src))
         dst = os.path.expanduser(dst)
         if self.totemp:
             return self.install(templater, src, dst)
diff --git a/dotdrop/templategen.py b/dotdrop/templategen.py
index 67408eb..06138d3 100644
--- a/dotdrop/templategen.py
+++ b/dotdrop/templategen.py
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ class Templategen:
 
     def is_template(path):
         """recursively check if any file is a template within path"""
+        if not os.path.exists(path):
+            return False
         if os.path.isfile(path):
             # is file
             return Templategen._is_template(path)
@@ -112,8 +114,12 @@ class Templategen:
         """test if file pointed by path is a template"""
         if not os.path.isfile(path):
             return False
-        with open(path, 'r') as f:
-            data = f.read()
+        try:
+            with open(path, 'r') as f:
+                data = f.read()
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            # is binary so surely no template
+            return False
         markers = [BLOCK_START, VAR_START, COMMENT_START]
         for marker in markers:
             if marker in data: