diff --git a/LCS/Tools/src/lofarinit.sh b/LCS/Tools/src/lofarinit.sh
index 143043c7fe2b5de34679545c1852c4513e4d23c4..b18514f5d64e30e962065132838ebfb8e919d88d 100644
--- a/LCS/Tools/src/lofarinit.sh
+++ b/LCS/Tools/src/lofarinit.sh
@@ -41,28 +41,32 @@ if [ "$LOFARROOT" != "" ]; then
 fi
 
 # Now define the new LOFARROOT
-LOFARROOT=`cd $a_root; pwd`      # make path absolute
-export LOFARROOT
+if [ ! -d $a_root ]; then
+    echo "LOFAR root directory $a_root does not exist"
+else
+    LOFARROOT=`cd $a_root > /dev/null; pwd`      # make path absolute
+    export LOFARROOT
 
-# Also strip this path from the current paths (in case it is contained in it).
-a_path=`echo $LOFARROOT | sed -e 's/\./\\\./g'`
-a_bin="$a_path/bin"
-PATH=`echo $PATH | sed -e "s%:$a_bin:%:%g" -e "s%^$a_bin:%%"  -e "s%:$a_bin$%%" -e "s%^$a_bin$%%"`
-export PATH
-a_lib="$a_path/lib"
-LD_LIBRARY_PATH=`echo $LD_LIBRARY_PATH | sed -e "s%:$a_lib:%:%g" -e "s%^$a_lib:%%"  -e "s%:$a_lib$%%" -e "s%^$a_lib$%%"`
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+    # Also strip root from the current paths (in case it is contained in it).
+    a_path=`echo $LOFARROOT | sed -e 's/\./\\\./g'`
+    a_bin="$a_path/bin"
+    PATH=`echo $PATH | sed -e "s%:$a_bin:%:%g" -e "s%^$a_bin:%%"  -e "s%:$a_bin$%%" -e "s%^$a_bin$%%"`
+    export PATH
+    a_lib="$a_path/lib"
+    LD_LIBRARY_PATH=`echo $LD_LIBRARY_PATH | sed -e "s%:$a_lib:%:%g" -e "s%^$a_lib:%%"  -e "s%:$a_lib$%%" -e "s%^$a_lib$%%"`
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 
-# Add the path to the standard paths.
-if [ "$PATH" = "" ]; then
-    PATH=$LOFARROOT/bin
-else
-    PATH=$LOFARROOT/bin:$PATH
-fi
-export PATH
-if [ "$LD_LIBRARY_PATH" = "" ]; then
-    LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LOFARROOT/lib
-else
-    LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LOFARROOT/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+    # Add the path to the standard paths.
+    if [ "$PATH" = "" ]; then
+        PATH=$LOFARROOT/bin
+    else
+        PATH=$LOFARROOT/bin:$PATH
+    fi
+    export PATH
+    if [ "$LD_LIBRARY_PATH" = "" ]; then
+        LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LOFARROOT/lib
+    else
+        LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LOFARROOT/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+    fi
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 fi
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH