diff --git a/workflow/utils.smk b/workflow/utils.smk
index 052c4c7..9b71ab0 100644
--- a/workflow/utils.smk
+++ b/workflow/utils.smk
@@ -39,4 +39,8 @@ def get_blacklisted(blacklist_dir_path):
 def get_artifacts_to_build(artifacts_folder, blacklist_dir_path):
     blacklisted = get_blacklisted(blacklist_dir_path)
     all_artifacts = set([os.path.splitext(a)[0] for a in os.listdir(artifacts_folder) if not os.path.isdir(os.path.join(artifacts_folder, a))])
-    return list(all_artifacts.difference(blacklisted))
+    artifacts_to_build = list(all_artifacts.difference(blacklisted))
+    if artifacts_to_build != []:
+        return list(all_artifacts.difference(blacklisted))
+    else:
+        raise(Exception(f"There is no artifact to build! Either no artifact configuration files have been found, or they have all been blacklisted."))