diff --git a/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.py b/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.py
index 73cabed6a..fa876f89a 100644
--- a/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.py
+++ b/shell-integration/ssh/bootstrap.py
@@ -229,6 +229,15 @@ def get_data():
             move(tdir + '/root', '/')
 
 
+def exec_with_better_error(*a):
+    try:
+        os.execlp(*a)
+    except OSError as err:
+        if err.errno == errno.ENOENT:
+            raise SystemExit('The program: "' + a[0] + '" was not found')
+        raise
+
+
 def exec_zsh_with_integration():
     zdotdir = os.environ.get('ZDOTDIR') or ''
     if not zdotdir:
@@ -240,7 +249,7 @@ def exec_zsh_with_integration():
     for q in ('.zshrc', '.zshenv', '.zprofile', '.zlogin'):
         if os.path.exists(os.path.join(zdotdir, q)):
             os.environ['ZDOTDIR'] = shell_integration_dir + '/zsh'
-            os.execlp(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-l')
+            exec_with_better_error(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-l')
     os.environ.pop('KITTY_ORIG_ZDOTDIR', None)  # ensure this is not propagated
 
 
@@ -250,7 +259,7 @@ def exec_fish_with_integration():
     else:
         os.environ['XDG_DATA_DIRS'] = shell_integration_dir + ':' + os.environ['XDG_DATA_DIRS']
     os.environ['KITTY_FISH_XDG_DATA_DIR'] = shell_integration_dir
-    os.execlp(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-l')
+    exec_with_better_error(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-l')
 
 
 def exec_bash_with_integration():
@@ -259,7 +268,7 @@ def exec_bash_with_integration():
     if not os.environ.get('HISTFILE'):
         os.environ['HISTFILE'] = os.path.join(HOME, '.bash_history')
         os.environ['KITTY_BASH_UNEXPORT_HISTFILE'] = '1'
-    os.execlp(login_shell, os.path.basename('login_shell'), '--posix')
+    exec_with_better_error(login_shell, os.path.basename('login_shell'), '--posix')
 
 
 def exec_with_shell_integration():
@@ -307,12 +316,12 @@ def main():
     if exec_cmd:
         os.environ.pop('KITTY_SHELL_INTEGRATION', None)
         cmd = base64.standard_b64decode(exec_cmd).decode('utf-8')
-        os.execlp(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-c', cmd)
+        exec_with_better_error(login_shell, os.path.basename(login_shell), '-c', cmd)
     TEST_SCRIPT  # noqa
     if ksi and 'no-rc' not in ksi:
         exec_with_shell_integration()
     os.environ.pop('KITTY_SHELL_INTEGRATION', None)
-    os.execlp(login_shell, '-' + os.path.basename(login_shell))
+    exec_with_better_error(login_shell, '-' + os.path.basename(login_shell))
 
 
 main()