diff --git a/pkg/deploy/deploy.go b/pkg/deploy/deploy.go
index aaef95c..c08910c 100644
--- a/pkg/deploy/deploy.go
+++ b/pkg/deploy/deploy.go
@@ -1,19 +1,6 @@
 package deploy
 
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os/exec"
-)
-
-func checkDependency(name string) error {
-
-	_, err := exec.LookPath(name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%s not found in PATH. please install it to continue", name)
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
+import "fmt"
 
 func Run(envName string, dryRun bool) error {
 
@@ -22,12 +9,16 @@ func Run(envName string, dryRun bool) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	command, _, err := BuildCommand(environment)
-	if err != nil {
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+	// PREFLIGHT FIRST
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+	if err := Preflight(environment); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := checkDependency(command.Name); err != nil {
+	command, _, err := BuildCommand(environment)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -35,5 +26,7 @@ func Run(envName string, dryRun bool) error {
 		DryRun: dryRun,
 	}
 
+	fmt.Println("Starting deployment...")
+
 	return executor.Run(command.Name, command.Args...)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/deploy/preflight.go b/pkg/deploy/preflight.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d454217
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/deploy/preflight.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package deploy
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os/exec"
+
+	"github.com/aryansharma9917/codewise-cli/pkg/env"
+)
+
+func runCheck(name string, args ...string) error {
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(name, args...)
+
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func Preflight(environment *env.Env) error {
+
+	fmt.Println("Running preflight checks...")
+
+	strategy := ResolveStrategy(environment)
+
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+	// Check binary availability
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+	switch strategy {
+
+	case StrategyHelm:
+
+		if err := runCheck("helm", "version"); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("helm not available or not functioning")
+		}
+
+	case StrategyKubectl:
+
+		if err := runCheck("kubectl", "version", "--client"); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("kubectl not available or not functioning")
+		}
+	}
+
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+	// Cluster connectivity check
+	////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+	args := []string{"cluster-info"}
+
+	if environment.K8s.Context != "" {
+		args = append(args, "--context", environment.K8s.Context)
+	}
+
+	if err := runCheck("kubectl", args...); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot reach kubernetes cluster. check kube-context")
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("Cluster reachable")
+	return nil
+}