diff --git a/scripts/artifacts.py b/scripts/artifacts.py
index ef6818657..79643ae39 100644
--- a/scripts/artifacts.py
+++ b/scripts/artifacts.py
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ def _strip_timestamps(text: str) -> str:
 class ArtifactLockBusy(RuntimeError):
     """Raised when another process already holds the artifact directory."""
 
+
+class ArtifactDirectoryMissing(FileNotFoundError):
+    """A reader named a directory that does not exist."""
+
 # A run that holds artifact directories for its whole duration names them
 # here, os.pathsep apart, for the steps it spawns: they would otherwise be
 # refused by it. A pipeline holds the repository root and its --output-dir.
@@ -228,6 +232,14 @@ def artifact_lock(directory: str, exclusive: bool = True) -> Iterator[None]:
     Writers take the lock exclusively, readers share it. On platforms
     without flock the lock is a no-op.
     """
+    # A reader creating the directory it was pointed at left a typo behind
+    # as a directory holding a .lock, and the next run with the same typo
+    # no longer said the path did not exist.
+    if not exclusive and not os.path.isdir(directory):
+        raise ArtifactDirectoryMissing(
+            f"{directory}: no such directory, pass the --output-dir the packs "
+            "were written to (default dist/)"
+        )
     try:
         import fcntl
     except ImportError:
diff --git a/scripts/common.py b/scripts/common.py
index 50c90874d..f1890d55c 100644
--- a/scripts/common.py
+++ b/scripts/common.py
@@ -3587,6 +3587,7 @@ from artifacts import (  # noqa: E402,F401
     copy_file_atomic,
     plain_file_mode,
     set_plain_mode,
+    ArtifactDirectoryMissing,
     ArtifactLockBusy,
     artifact_lock,
     hold_artifact_lock,
@@ -3634,7 +3635,7 @@ def run_cli(main: Callable[[], int | None]) -> None:
     try:
         code = main()
         sys.stdout.flush()
-    except (InputMissing, ArtifactLockBusy) as exc:
+    except (InputMissing, ArtifactLockBusy, ArtifactDirectoryMissing) as exc:
         print(f"ERROR: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
     except BrokenPipeError:
diff --git a/scripts/split_pack.py b/scripts/split_pack.py
index 9e830ff72..3df3fe866 100644
--- a/scripts/split_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/split_pack.py
@@ -338,6 +338,10 @@ def main() -> int:
     # The packs are rewritten in place by generate_pack under this lock: a
     # build running beside the split mixes its bytes into the pack being
     # read, or writes a pack that the split then deletes.
+    if not args.target.exists():
+        print(f"Error: {args.target}: no such pack or directory, pass a pack or the "
+              "--output-dir generate_pack wrote (default dist/)", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
     directory = args.target if args.target.is_dir() else args.target.parent
     try:
         with artifact_lock(str(directory)):
diff --git a/tests/test_artifact_lock.py b/tests/test_artifact_lock.py
index 612bd87d8..72804b1cb 100644
--- a/tests/test_artifact_lock.py
+++ b/tests/test_artifact_lock.py
@@ -61,6 +61,28 @@ class ArtifactLockTest(unittest.TestCase):
             with artifact_lock(self.dir, exclusive=False):
                 pass
 
+    def test_a_reader_never_creates_the_directory(self):
+        """A mistyped --output-dir given to --verify-packs or release_record
+        was created holding a .lock, and the next run with the same typo no
+        longer said the path did not exist."""
+        from common import ArtifactDirectoryMissing  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        missing = os.path.join(self.dir, "sub", "dsit")
+        with self.assertRaises(ArtifactDirectoryMissing):
+            with artifact_lock(missing, exclusive=False):
+                pass
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(os.path.join(self.dir, "sub")))
+
+    def test_split_refuses_a_missing_target_before_locking(self):
+        missing = Path(self.dir) / "sub" / "dsit"
+        proc = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/split_pack.py", str(missing)],
+            cwd=REPO_ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, check=False, timeout=60,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 1)
+        self.assertIn("no such pack or directory", proc.stderr)
+        self.assertFalse(missing.parent.exists())
+
     def test_lock_is_released_on_exit(self):
         with artifact_lock(self.dir):
             pass