diff --git a/src/build-debug.sh b/src/build-debug.sh
index 11632ff..3cc0e75 100755
--- a/src/build-debug.sh
+++ b/src/build-debug.sh
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ echo "Built the Linux binary"
 cp scyther-linux ../gui/Scyther/
 
 # bonus...
-cp scyther-linux ~/bin
+if [ -d ~/bin  ] ; then
+  cp scyther-linux ~/bin/
+fi
 
-echo Copied the file to the gui directory and \~/bin
+echo "Copied the file to the gui directory and \~/bin (if present)"
 echo "---------------------------------------------------------"
 
diff --git a/src/subbuild-unix-unix.sh b/src/subbuild-unix-unix.sh
index 4d8e2ee..a3a1e7a 100755
--- a/src/subbuild-unix-unix.sh
+++ b/src/subbuild-unix-unix.sh
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ echo "Built the Linux binary"
 cp scyther-linux ../gui/Scyther/
 
 # bonus...
-cp scyther-linux ~/bin
+if [ -d ~/bin ] ; then
+  cp scyther-linux ~/bin/
+fi
 
-echo Copied the file to the gui/Scyther directory and \~/bin
+echo "Copied the file to the gui/Scyther directory and ~/bin (if present)"
 echo "---------------------------------------------------------"