diff --git a/dockerimg/dockerimg.go b/dockerimg/dockerimg.go
index 74aebdd..a6d012e 100644
--- a/dockerimg/dockerimg.go
+++ b/dockerimg/dockerimg.go
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	err = checkForEmptyGitRepo(ctx, config.Path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	imgName, err := findOrBuildDockerImage(ctx, config.Path, gitRoot, config.Model, config.ModelURL, config.ModelAPIKey, config.ForceRebuild, config.Verbose)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -839,6 +843,17 @@
 	return res, nil
 }
 
+func checkForEmptyGitRepo(ctx context.Context, path string) error {
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "rev-parse", "-q", "--verify", "HEAD")
+	cmd.Dir = path
+	_, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("sketch needs to run from within a git repo with at least one commit.\nRun: %s",
+			"git commit --allow-empty -m 'initial commit'")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func findGitRoot(ctx context.Context, path string) (string, error) {
 	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "rev-parse", "--git-common-dir")
 	cmd.Dir = path