diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
index b0ac7285926d..ff48db7af169 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int             which = -1;
 	char		*config = NULL;
 	struct userconf *cnf;
+	struct stat	st;
 
 	static const char *opts[W_NUM][M_NUM] =
 	{
@@ -143,6 +144,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (argv[1][1] == 'V') {
 				optarg = &argv[1][2];
 				if (*optarg == '\0') {
+					if (stat(argv[2], &st) != 0)
+						errx(EX_OSFILE, \
+						    "no such directory `%s'",
+						    argv[2]);
+					if (!S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
+						errx(EX_OSFILE, "`%s' not a "
+						    "directory", argv[2]);
 					optarg = argv[2];
 					++argv;
 					--argc;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/tests/Makefile b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/Makefile
index fabf624f347f..0391d1ff64c1 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/tests/Makefile
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ TESTSRC=	${.CURDIR}/../../../contrib/netbsd-tests/usr.sbin/useradd
 
 TESTSDIR=	${TESTSBASE}/usr.sbin/pw
 
-ATF_TESTS_SH=	pw_delete pw_modify
+ATF_TESTS_SH=	pw_delete pw_modify pw_etcdir
 
 TEST_METADATA.pw_delete+=	required_user="root"
 TEST_METADATA.pw_modify+=	required_user="root"
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_etcdir.sh b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_etcdir.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..edb97fe84f18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_etcdir.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+# When provide -V dir, dir must exists
+atf_test_case etcdir_must_exists
+etcdir_must_exists_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "When provide -V dir, dir must exists"
+}
+
+etcdir_must_exists_body() {
+	local fakedir="/this_directory_does_not_exists"
+	atf_check -e inline:"pw: no such directory \`$fakedir'\n" \
+		-s exit:72 -x pw -V ${fakedir} usershow root
+}
+
+atf_init_test_cases() {
+	atf_add_test_case etcdir_must_exists
+}
+