diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index a7c853c..21aa46c 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 template-suffix: ejs
 dependencies:
   - extism-py
+  - uv
 
 available-feature-flags:
   - name: stub-with-code-samples
diff --git a/template/prepare.sh b/template/prepare.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..546e38f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/prepare.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Function to check if a command exists
+command_exists () {
+  command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+missing_deps=0
+
+# Check for uv
+if ! (command_exists uv); then
+  missing_deps=1
+  echo "❌ uv is not installed."
+  echo ""
+  echo "To install uv, visit the official download page:"
+  echo "👉 https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/"
+  echo ""
+fi
+
+# Exit with a bad exit code if any dependencies are missing
+if [ "$missing_deps" -ne 0 ]; then
+  echo "Install the missing dependencies and ensure they are on your path. Then run this command again."
+  # TODO: remove sleep when cli bug is fixed
+  sleep 2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check for extism-js
+if ! command_exists extism-py; then
+  echo "❌ extism-py is not installed."
+  echo ""
+  echo "extism-py is needed to compile the plug-in. You can find the instructions to install it here: https://github.com/extism/python-pdk"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Alternatively, you can use an install script."
+  echo ""
+  echo "🔹 Mac / Linux:"
+  echo "curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/extism/python-pdk/main/install.sh | bash"
+  echo ""
+  # TODO: remove sleep when cli bug is fixed
+  sleep 2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+
diff --git a/template/xtp.toml.ejs b/template/xtp.toml.ejs
index 57eb354..2ff3cad 100644
--- a/template/xtp.toml.ejs
+++ b/template/xtp.toml.ejs
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ build = "PYTHONPATH=./plugin extism-py -o plugin.wasm plugin/__init__.py"
 format = "uv run ruff format plugin/*.py"
 
 # xtp plugin init runs this script before running the format script
-prepare = "uv sync"
+prepare = "bash prepare.sh && uv sync"