diff --git a/applications/utilities/preProcessing/foamSetupCHT/foamSetupCHT.C b/applications/utilities/preProcessing/foamSetupCHT/foamSetupCHT.C
index a9568603a7..89c4bd1276 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/preProcessing/foamSetupCHT/foamSetupCHT.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/preProcessing/foamSetupCHT/foamSetupCHT.C
@@ -151,16 +151,26 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 << sourceDir << exit(FatalIOError);
         }
 
-        Info<< "\tCreating constant/" << regionName
-            << " directory with " << regionMaterial
-            << " material" << endl;
-        cpFiles(constantDir/regionType, currentDir/"constant"/regionName);
-        cpFiles(materialsDir/regionMaterial, currentDir/"constant"/regionName);
+        const fileName matDir(materialsDir/regionMaterial);
+        if (isDir(matDir))
+        {
+            Info<< "\tCreating constant/" << regionName
+                << " directory with " << regionMaterial
+                << " material" << endl;
+            cpFiles(constantDir/regionType, currentDir/"constant"/regionName);
+            cpFiles(matDir, currentDir/"constant"/regionName);
 
-        // system/<region>: from fluid or solid templ
-        Info<< "\tCreating system/" << regionName
-            << " directory" << endl;
-        cpFiles(systemDir/regionType, currentDir/"system"/regionName);
+            // system/<region>: from fluid or solid templ
+            Info<< "\tCreating system/" << regionName
+                << " directory" << endl;
+            cpFiles(systemDir/regionType, currentDir/"system"/regionName);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            FatalIOErrorIn(args.executable().c_str(), materialProperties)
+                << "Cannot find region material folder "
+                << regionMaterial << exit(FatalIOError);
+        }
     }
 
     regionProperties.add("regions", regionInfo);