diff --git a/rsync_ui.sh b/rsync_ui.sh
index 9e1b074..a0a0e79 100755
--- a/rsync_ui.sh
+++ b/rsync_ui.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-: ${PILLAR_DIR?"Need to set PILLAR_DIR"}
+PILLAR_DIR=$(python <<EOT
+from __future__ import print_function
+import os.path
+import pillar
+
+print(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(pillar.__file__)))
+EOT
+)
 
 ASSETS="$PILLAR_DIR/pillar/web/static/assets/"
 TEMPLATES="$PILLAR_DIR/pillar/web/templates/"
 
+if [ ! -d "$ASSETS" ]; then
+    echo "Unable to find assets dir $ASSETS"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 cd $PILLAR_DIR
 if [ $(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD) != "production" ]; then
     echo "You are NOT on the production branch, refusing to rsync_ui." >&2