diff --git a/biopet-tools/src/main/scala/nl/lumc/sasc/biopet/tools/vcfstats/VcfStats.scala b/biopet-tools/src/main/scala/nl/lumc/sasc/biopet/tools/vcfstats/VcfStats.scala
index e1c2f3539b605da089413f5717c4ca03a6ee0902..6f7789176e480702db0785391c4f82d936623cf5 100644
--- a/biopet-tools/src/main/scala/nl/lumc/sasc/biopet/tools/vcfstats/VcfStats.scala
+++ b/biopet-tools/src/main/scala/nl/lumc/sasc/biopet/tools/vcfstats/VcfStats.scala
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ object VcfStats extends ToolCommand {
     opt[File]('o', "outputDir") required () unbounded () maxOccurs 1 valueName "<file>" action { (x, c) =>
       c.copy(outputDir = x)
     } validate {
-      x => if (x == null) failure("Output directory required") else success
+      x => if (x.exists) succes else failure ("Valid output directory required") 
     } text "Path to directory for output (required)"
     opt[File]('i', "intervals") unbounded () valueName "<file>" action { (x, c) =>
       c.copy(intervals = Some(x))