diff --git a/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThread.java b/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThread.java
index 0b57bc3..a3ab1fe 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThread.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThread.java
@@ -215,6 +215,21 @@ public class DeployerThread extends Thread {
 
 		DeployerProperties properties = context.getBean(DeployerProperties.class);
 
+		ArrayList<String> invalid = new ArrayList<>();
+		// validate that items in deploy, are valid deployables
+		for (String toDeploy : properties.getDeploy()) {
+			if (!properties.getDeployables().containsKey(toDeploy)) {
+				invalid.add(toDeploy);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (!invalid.isEmpty()) {
+			logger.error("Error starting 'spring cloud'."+"\n\nThe following are not valid: '" +
+					collectionToCommaDelimitedString(invalid) + "'. Please check the name(s) and try again.\n" +
+					"Valid choices are: "+ collectionToCommaDelimitedString(properties.getDeployables().keySet())+".\n");
+			return;
+		}
+
 		ArrayList<Deployable> deployables = new ArrayList<>(
 				properties.getDeployables().values());
 		OrderComparator.sort(deployables);
diff --git a/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThreadTests.java b/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThreadTests.java
index f360666..14217f2 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThreadTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-launcher/spring-cloud-launcher-deployer/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/launcher/deployer/DeployerThreadTests.java
@@ -36,10 +36,15 @@ public class DeployerThreadTests {
 		assertThat(output.toString(), containsString("configserver"));
 	}
 
-
 	@Test
 	public void testNonOptionArgsPassedDown() throws Exception {
 		new DeployerThread(DeployerThread.class.getClassLoader(), "--launcher.list=true", "--spring.profiles.active=test").run();
 		assertThat(output.toString(), containsString("foo"));
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testInvalidDeployableFails() throws Exception {
+		new DeployerThread(DeployerThread.class.getClassLoader(), "--launcher.deploy=foo,bar").run();
+		assertThat(output.toString(), containsString("The following are not valid: 'foo,bar'"));
+	}
 }