diff --git a/packages/protosprite-cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/protosprite-cli/src/cli.ts
index 1abd0c2..745497d 100644
--- a/packages/protosprite-cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/protosprite-cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as aseprite from "@kayahr/aseprite";
 import childProcess from "child_process";
 import fs from "fs";
 import { Jimp } from "jimp";
+import os from "os";
 import path from "path";
 import ProtoSprite, {
   ProtoSpriteInstance,
@@ -20,10 +21,8 @@ import {
   ExternalSpriteSheetData,
   isEmbeddedSpriteSheetData
 } from "../../protosprite-core/dist/src/core/data.js";
-import { findAsperiteBinary } from "./util/findAseprite.js";
+import { findSteamAsepriteBinary } from "./util/findAseprite.js";
 import { genTypeDefinitions } from "./util/genDefinitions.js";
-import os from "os";
-
 
 const program = new Command()
   .name("protosprite-cli")
@@ -113,11 +112,19 @@ class ProtoSpriteCLI {
           this.workingDirectory,
           `${inputFileParts.name}.png`
         );
-        let asepriteBinPath = findAsperiteBinary();
+        let asepriteBinPath = findSteamAsepriteBinary();
         // Replace spaces in binary path with escapes.
         if (os.platform() === "darwin") {
           asepriteBinPath = asepriteBinPath?.replaceAll(" ", "\\ ") ?? null;
         }
+        if (asepriteBinPath == null) asepriteBinPath = "aseprite";
+        try {
+          childProcess.execSync(`${asepriteBinPath} --version`);
+        } catch {
+          throw new Error(
+            "Cannot find Steam aseprite binary or 'aseprite' on your PATH"
+          );
+        }
         const asepriteArgs = [
           "-b",
           "--sheet",
diff --git a/packages/protosprite-cli/src/util/findAseprite.ts b/packages/protosprite-cli/src/util/findAseprite.ts
index ddea24f..c2414e2 100644
--- a/packages/protosprite-cli/src/util/findAseprite.ts
+++ b/packages/protosprite-cli/src/util/findAseprite.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import fs from "fs";
 import os from "os";
 import path from "path";
 
-export function findAsperiteBinary(): string | null {
+export function findSteamAsepriteBinary(): string | null {
   const platform = os.platform();
 
   const steamInstallPath = getSteamInstallPath(platform);