diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 73f888a..d16f258 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
     "@octokit/rest": "^18.5.2",
     "@radix-ui/react-dropdown-menu": "^0.0.17",
     "@types/isomorphic-fetch": "^0.0.35",
+    "@vscode/webview-ui-toolkit": "^0.9.0",
     "classcat": "^5.0.3",
     "cronstrue": "^1.110.0",
     "downshift": "^6.1.2",
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 08935d8..d845931 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -9,22 +9,24 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
   const editor = FlatConfigEditor.register(context)
   context.subscriptions.push(editor)
 
-  const showEditor = ({ isPreview = false, onSide = false }) => () => {
-    const workspaceRootUri = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders?.[0].uri
-    if (!workspaceRootUri) return
-    const flatFileUri = vscode.Uri.joinPath(
-      workspaceRootUri,
-      '.github/workflows',
-      'flat.yml'
-    )
+  const showEditor =
+    ({ isPreview = false, onSide = false }) =>
+    () => {
+      const workspaceRootUri = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders?.[0].uri
+      if (!workspaceRootUri) return
+      const flatFileUri = vscode.Uri.joinPath(
+        workspaceRootUri,
+        '.github/workflows',
+        'flat.yml'
+      )
 
-    vscode.commands.executeCommand(
-      'vscode.openWith',
-      flatFileUri,
-      isPreview ? 'flat.config' : 'default',
-      onSide ? { viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn.Beside, preview: false } : {}
-    )
-  }
+      vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+        'vscode.openWith',
+        flatFileUri,
+        isPreview ? 'flat.config' : 'default',
+        onSide ? { viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn.Beside, preview: false } : {}
+      )
+    }
 
   context.subscriptions.push(
     vscode.commands.registerCommand(
@@ -65,9 +67,6 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
       const flatYmlPath = path.join(workflowsDir, 'flat.yml')
 
       if (fs.existsSync(flatYmlPath)) {
-        vscode.window.showInformationMessage(
-          'flat.yml already exists! Opening it for you...'
-        )
         showEditor({ isPreview: true })()
         return
       }
diff --git a/src/flatConfigEditor.ts b/src/flatConfigEditor.ts
index 036294c..a85d5bd 100644
--- a/src/flatConfigEditor.ts
+++ b/src/flatConfigEditor.ts
@@ -74,9 +74,20 @@ export class FlatConfigEditor implements vscode.CustomTextEditorProvider {
       enableScripts: true,
     }
 
-    webviewPanel.webview.html = await this.getHtmlForWebview(
-      webviewPanel.webview
-    )
+    try {
+      webviewPanel.webview.html = await this.getHtmlForWebview(
+        webviewPanel.webview
+      )
+    } catch (e) {
+      await vscode.window.showErrorMessage(
+        "Please make sure you're in a repository with a valid upstream GitHub remote"
+      )
+      await vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+        'workbench.action.revertAndCloseActiveEditor'
+      )
+      // For whatever reason, this doesn't close the webview.
+      await webviewPanel.dispose()
+    }
 
     // Receive message from the webview.
     webviewPanel.webview.onDidReceiveMessage(async e => {
@@ -101,6 +112,11 @@ export class FlatConfigEditor implements vscode.CustomTextEditorProvider {
         case 'getUrlContents':
           this.loadUrlContents(webviewPanel, e.data)
           break
+        case 'refreshGitDetails':
+          webviewPanel.webview.html = await this.getHtmlForWebview(
+            webviewPanel.webview
+          )
+          break
         case 'previewFile':
           const workspaceRootUri = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders?.[0].uri
           if (!workspaceRootUri) {
@@ -168,7 +184,27 @@ export class FlatConfigEditor implements vscode.CustomTextEditorProvider {
       workspaceRootUri.path.lastIndexOf('/') + 1
     )
 
-    const { owner, name } = await this.getRepoDetails()
+    let name,
+      owner = ''
+
+    try {
+      const details = await vscode.window.withProgress(
+        {
+          location: vscode.ProgressLocation.Notification,
+        },
+        async progress => {
+          progress.report({
+            message: `Checking for GitHub repository in directory: ${dirName}`,
+          })
+
+          return await this.getRepoDetails()
+        }
+      )
+      owner = details.owner || ''
+      name = details.name
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('Error getting GitHub repository details', e)
+    }
 
     const gitRepo = owner && name ? `${owner}/${name}` : ''
 
@@ -399,14 +435,14 @@ export class FlatConfigEditor implements vscode.CustomTextEditorProvider {
       try {
         const gitClient = new VSCodeGit()
         await gitClient.activateExtension()
-        await gitClient.waitForRepo(5)
+        await gitClient.waitForRepo(3)
 
         // Next, let's grab the repo name.
         const { name, owner } = gitClient.repoDetails
 
         resolve({ name, owner })
       } catch (e) {
-        resolve({})
+        reject('Couldnt activate git')
       }
     })
   }
diff --git a/src/git.ts b/src/git.ts
index 9553fdd..c59c88c 100644
--- a/src/git.ts
+++ b/src/git.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ export class VSCodeGit {
 
   waitForRepo(times: number): Promise<{ name: string; owner: string }> {
     let count = 0
-    const timeToStop = count === times
 
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      const checkRepoExists = setInterval(() => {
+      let interval = setInterval(() => {
         try {
           const remotes = this.repository._repository.remotes
           if (remotes.length > 0) {
@@ -42,15 +41,14 @@ export class VSCodeGit {
             const parsed = GitUrlParse(remote.pushUrl)
             resolve({ name: parsed.name, owner: parsed.owner })
           } else {
-            if (timeToStop) {
+            if (count === times) {
+              clearInterval(interval)
               reject(new Error("Couldn't get repo details"))
             }
             count++
           }
         } catch (e) {
           reject(new Error("Couldn't get repo details"))
-        } finally {
-          clearInterval(checkRepoExists)
         }
       }, 1000)
     })
diff --git a/src/webviews/src/App.tsx b/src/webviews/src/App.tsx
index 9922919..7969e72 100644
--- a/src/webviews/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/webviews/src/App.tsx
@@ -7,12 +7,17 @@ import Triggers from './Triggers'
 import { flatStateValidationSchema } from './validation'
 import { VSCodeAPI } from './VSCodeAPI'
 import { FlatStep, PullSqlConfig } from '../../types'
+import { ErrorState } from './error-state'
 
 interface AppProps {}
 
 function App({}: AppProps) {
   const { state, setErrors, isStubData, gitRepo } = useFlatConfigStore()
 
+  if (!gitRepo) {
+    return <ErrorState />
+  }
+
   const showErrorState = state.jobs.scheduled.steps
     .filter(step => step.uses.includes('githubocto/flat'))
     .some(step => {
diff --git a/src/webviews/src/error-state.tsx b/src/webviews/src/error-state.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f092a1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/webviews/src/error-state.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react'
+import { VSCodeButton } from '@vscode/webview-ui-toolkit/react'
+
+import { VSCodeAPI } from './VSCodeAPI'
+
+export function ErrorState() {
+  const [isRefreshing, setIsRefreshing] = useState(false)
+
+  const handleRetry = () => {
+    setIsRefreshing(true)
+    VSCodeAPI.postMessage({
+      type: 'refreshGitDetails',
+    })
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="p-4">
+      <p>
+        Please ensure you're working out of a Git repository with a valid
+        upstream remote set.
+      </p>
+      <div className="mt-2">
+        <VSCodeButton disabled={isRefreshing} onClick={handleRetry}>
+          {isRefreshing ? 'Refreshing...' : 'Refresh'}
+        </VSCodeButton>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 8d99684..0f42254 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -938,6 +938,36 @@
   dependencies:
     purgecss "^3.1.3"
 
+"@microsoft/fast-element@^1.6.2", "@microsoft/fast-element@^1.7.0":
+  version "1.7.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@microsoft/fast-element/-/fast-element-1.7.0.tgz#7e4b164c77c07d93b28f057231b37e7e2e8fed04"
+  integrity sha512-2qpAWuiOSdQfH/XdO8ZtVhlvQVCjHlojWUPoGbvHJDizBccZib+4uGReG87RIBp2Fi0s7ngYPRUioS1Lr+Xe0A==
+
+"@microsoft/fast-foundation@^2.30.0", "@microsoft/fast-foundation@^2.32.2":
+  version "2.32.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@microsoft/fast-foundation/-/fast-foundation-2.32.2.tgz#c309c734965c5b2e3e264b5d05843aeb6c633229"
+  integrity sha512-xbagdbnNyKGg3Uvx+llTgN6C47FYYN1Wo5bRL8r3QcNalBkgsA/4T5fZFOoEypxUPzRDlEH/A81G1c8CJwHdLw==
+  dependencies:
+    "@microsoft/fast-element" "^1.7.0"
+    "@microsoft/fast-web-utilities" "^5.1.0"
+    tabbable "^5.2.0"
+    tslib "^1.13.0"
+
+"@microsoft/fast-react-wrapper@^0.1.18":
+  version "0.1.25"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@microsoft/fast-react-wrapper/-/fast-react-wrapper-0.1.25.tgz#905d07d6e2056668ada0cfbcf0484c68f028fdb0"
+  integrity sha512-0qWU/pUY31/YKLgHzgn0+1Ye5klvTrp4/9X6PGzQk5GAU2jjN9dv1Atzsf5bz+BdkE3oWfBhiV6UOJvA/YbnmA==
+  dependencies:
+    "@microsoft/fast-element" "^1.7.0"
+    "@microsoft/fast-foundation" "^2.32.2"
+
+"@microsoft/fast-web-utilities@^5.1.0":
+  version "5.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@microsoft/fast-web-utilities/-/fast-web-utilities-5.1.0.tgz#e060fea2b47c2dcfb4a9ba90a55559f0844d1cdb"
+  integrity sha512-S2PCxI4XqtIxLM1N7i/NuIAgx+mJM01+mDzyB3vZlYibAkOT0bzp5YZCp+coXowokSin/nK5T2kqShMXEzI6Jg==
+  dependencies:
+    exenv-es6 "^1.0.0"
+
 "@nodelib/fs.scandir@2.1.4":
   version "2.1.4"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@nodelib/fs.scandir/-/fs.scandir-2.1.4.tgz#d4b3549a5db5de2683e0c1071ab4f140904bbf69"
@@ -1585,6 +1615,15 @@
     "@typescript-eslint/types" "4.23.0"
     eslint-visitor-keys "^2.0.0"
 
+"@vscode/webview-ui-toolkit@^0.9.0":
+  version "0.9.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@vscode/webview-ui-toolkit/-/webview-ui-toolkit-0.9.0.tgz#a3472f62bc17d4076d9540070aeb3db83080b4f6"
+  integrity sha512-F67LSz0yURKqPomSZA4xTu9d8VC+MtjlpCk2KygX8m2R3tvTSOjpntQ/6U1gjPVG0Pmw1m3YB2Yhhyo8E/c0zw==
+  dependencies:
+    "@microsoft/fast-element" "^1.6.2"
+    "@microsoft/fast-foundation" "^2.30.0"
+    "@microsoft/fast-react-wrapper" "^0.1.18"
+
 "@webassemblyjs/ast@1.11.0":
   version "1.11.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@webassemblyjs/ast/-/ast-1.11.0.tgz#a5aa679efdc9e51707a4207139da57920555961f"
@@ -2889,6 +2928,11 @@ execa@^5.0.0:
     signal-exit "^3.0.3"
     strip-final-newline "^2.0.0"
 
+exenv-es6@^1.0.0:
+  version "1.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/exenv-es6/-/exenv-es6-1.0.0.tgz#bd459136369af17cf33f959b5af58803d4068c80"
+  integrity sha512-fcG/TX8Ruv9Ma6PBaiNsUrHRJzVzuFMP6LtPn/9iqR+nr9mcLeEOGzXQGLC5CVQSXGE98HtzW2mTZkrCA3XrDg==
+
 extend@~3.0.2:
   version "3.0.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/extend/-/extend-3.0.2.tgz#f8b1136b4071fbd8eb140aff858b1019ec2915fa"
@@ -5579,6 +5623,11 @@ supports-color@^7.0.0, supports-color@^7.1.0:
   dependencies:
     has-flag "^4.0.0"
 
+tabbable@^5.2.0:
+  version "5.2.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/tabbable/-/tabbable-5.2.1.tgz#e3fda7367ddbb172dcda9f871c0fdb36d1c4cd9c"
+  integrity sha512-40pEZ2mhjaZzK0BnI+QGNjJO8UYx9pP5v7BGe17SORTO0OEuuaAwQTkAp8whcZvqon44wKFOikD+Al11K3JICQ==
+
 table@^6.0.4:
   version "6.7.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/table/-/table-6.7.0.tgz#26274751f0ee099c547f6cb91d3eff0d61d155b2"
@@ -5735,7 +5784,7 @@ ts-loader@^8.1.0:
     micromatch "^4.0.0"
     semver "^7.3.4"
 
-tslib@^1.0.0, tslib@^1.10.0, tslib@^1.8.1, tslib@^1.9.3:
+tslib@^1.0.0, tslib@^1.10.0, tslib@^1.13.0, tslib@^1.8.1, tslib@^1.9.3:
   version "1.14.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/tslib/-/tslib-1.14.1.tgz#cf2d38bdc34a134bcaf1091c41f6619e2f672d00"
   integrity sha512-Xni35NKzjgMrwevysHTCArtLDpPvye8zV/0E4EyYn43P7/7qvQwPh9BGkHewbMulVntbigmcT7rdX3BNo9wRJg==