diff --git a/cobj/cobj.c b/cobj/cobj.c
index 48cafbad..b86d65b7 100644
--- a/cobj/cobj.c
+++ b/cobj/cobj.c
@@ -1048,12 +1048,28 @@ static int process_command_line(const int argc, char *argv[]) {
     case 'o':
       /* -o : the directory where class files are stored */
       /* -class-file-dir : the directory where class files are stored */
+      if (optarg == NULL || *optarg == '\0') {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error: Missing directory path argument\n");
+        exit(1);
+      }
+      if (stat(optarg, &st) != 0 || !(S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error: '%s' is not a valid directory\n", optarg);
+        exit(1);
+      }
       output_name = strdup(optarg);
       break;
 
     case 'j':
       /* -j : the directory where java files are stored */
       /* -java-source-dir : the directory where java files are stored */
+      if (optarg == NULL || *optarg == '\0') {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error: Missing directory path argument\n");
+        exit(1);
+      }
+      if (stat(optarg, &st) != 0 || !(S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error: '%s' is not a valid directory\n", optarg);
+        exit(1);
+      }
       java_source_dir = strdup(optarg);
       break;
 
diff --git a/tests/command-line-options.src/file-path.at b/tests/command-line-options.src/file-path.at
index cd9e000b..b00039e0 100644
--- a/tests/command-line-options.src/file-path.at
+++ b/tests/command-line-options.src/file-path.at
@@ -122,4 +122,42 @@ AT_CHECK([test ! -e class_dir/prog.class])
 AT_CHECK([test ! -e prog.java])
 AT_CHECK([rm -f *.java *.class class_dir/* java_dir/*])
 
+AT_CLEANUP
+
+
+AT_SETUP([file-path options with non-existent directory])
+
+AT_DATA([prog.cbl], [
+       IDENTIFICATION              DIVISION.
+       PROGRAM-ID.                 prog.
+       DATA                        DIVISION.
+       WORKING-STORAGE             SECTION.
+       PROCEDURE                   DIVISION.
+           DISPLAY "HELLO".
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -j java_dir prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: 'java_dir' is not a valid directory
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -java-source-dir=java_dir prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: 'java_dir' is not a valid directory
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -java-source-dir= prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: Missing directory path argument
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -o class_dir prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: 'class_dir' is not a valid directory
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -class-file-dir=class_dir prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: 'class_dir' is not a valid directory
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([${COBJ} -class-file-dir= prog.cbl], [1], [], 
+[Error: Missing directory path argument
+])
+
 AT_CLEANUP
\ No newline at end of file