diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
index 1697a312d..f014f36aa 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/gcp.go
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ func NewGCPClient(keys, projectName string) (*GCPClient, error) {
 	log.Debugf("Connecting to GCP")
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	var client *GCPClient
+	if projectName == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the project name is not specified")
+	}
 	if keys != "" {
 		log.Debugf("Using Keys %s", keys)
 		f, err := os.Open(keys)
@@ -63,7 +66,7 @@ func NewGCPClient(keys, projectName string) (*GCPClient, error) {
 			projectName: projectName,
 		}
 	} else {
-		log.Debugf("Using Application Default crednetials")
+		log.Debugf("Using Application Default credentials")
 		gc, err := google.DefaultClient(
 			ctx,
 			storage.DevstorageReadWriteScope,
diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/push_gcp.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/push_gcp.go
index 826c86da1..884e08c85 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/push_gcp.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/push_gcp.go
@@ -52,15 +52,15 @@ func pushGcp(args []string) {
 		name = filepath.Base(name)
 	}
 
-	if bucket == "" {
-		log.Fatalf("Please specify the bucket to use")
-	}
-
 	client, err := NewGCPClient(keys, project)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Unable to connect to GCP: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	if bucket == "" {
+		log.Fatalf("Please specify the bucket to use")
+	}
+
 	err = client.UploadFile(path, name+suffix, bucket, public)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Error copying to Google Storage: %v", err)
diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
index 0c1161512..d764e2d9d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_gcp.go
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func runGcp(args []string) {
 
 	client, err := NewGCPClient(keys, project)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Unable to connect to GCP")
+		log.Fatalf("Unable to connect to GCP: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	if err = client.CreateInstance(*name, image, zone, machine, disks, data, *nestedVirt, true); err != nil {