diff --git a/src/activator.rs b/src/activator.rs
index c73b6e0..00e1a06 100644
--- a/src/activator.rs
+++ b/src/activator.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use anyhow::Context;
 use log::{debug, trace};
+use thiserror::Error;
 
 use crate::types::{Game, Link, ModdedInstance, RootConfig};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -11,17 +11,22 @@ pub fn activate_instance(
     root_config: &RootConfig,
     instance: &ModdedInstance,
     target: impl AsRef<Path>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let game = root_config.game_by_id(instance.game_id()).unwrap();
+) -> Result<(), ActivationError> {
+    let game = root_config
+        .game_by_id(instance.game_id())
+        .ok_or(ActivationError::GameNotFound)?;
+
+    check_target_valid(&target)?;
 
     let resolved_links = resolve_links(root_config, instance, game)?;
 
     resolved_links
         .iter()
         .try_for_each(|link| apply_link(link, &target))
-        .with_context(|| "Creating links")?;
-    create_plugins_txt(instance, target.as_ref()).with_context(|| "Creating Pluginx.txt")?;
+        .map_err(ActivationError::Linking)?;
+    create_plugins_txt(instance, target.as_ref()).map_err(ActivationError::PluginsTXT)?;
 
+    debug!("Finished activating instance");
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -29,8 +34,10 @@ fn resolve_links(
     root_config: &RootConfig,
     instance: &ModdedInstance,
     game: &Game,
-) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<Link>> {
-    let game_links = game.export_links()?;
+) -> Result<Vec<Link>, ActivationError> {
+    let game_links = game
+        .export_links()
+        .map_err(ActivationError::ExportGameLinks)?;
     let mod_links = resolve_link_for_instance(root_config, instance)?;
     let overrides: Vec<Link> = instance.game_file_overrides().to_owned();
 
@@ -51,11 +58,15 @@ fn resolve_links(
 fn resolve_link_for_instance(
     root_config: &RootConfig,
     instance: &ModdedInstance,
-) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<Link>> {
+) -> Result<Vec<Link>, ActivationError> {
+    debug!("Resolving links for instance");
+
     let mut links: Vec<Link> = Vec::new();
 
     for installed_mod in instance.mods() {
-        let mod_config = root_config.get_mod_by_id(installed_mod.mod_id()).unwrap();
+        let mod_config = root_config
+            .get_mod_by_id(installed_mod.mod_id())
+            .ok_or(ActivationError::ModNotFound)?;
         let mod_source_root = root_config.mod_location().join(mod_config.path());
 
         for link in installed_mod.files() {
@@ -78,8 +89,8 @@ fn create_plugins_txt(
     instance: &ModdedInstance,
     target: impl AsRef<Path>,
 ) -> Result<(), io::Error> {
-    debug!("Generating plugins.txt");
-    let mut file = fs::File::create(target.as_ref().join("plugins.txt"))?;
+    debug!("Generating Plugins.txt");
+    let mut file = fs::File::create(target.as_ref().join("Plugins.txt"))?;
 
     writeln!(file, "# Auto generated. DO NOT EDIT MANUALLY!")?;
 
@@ -93,6 +104,7 @@ fn create_plugins_txt(
 fn link_file(target: &Path, link_name: &Path) -> Result<(), io::Error> {
     if let Some(parent) = link_name.parent() {
         fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
+        trace!("Creating parent dir for {}", link_name.to_string_lossy());
     }
 
     create_symlink_for_file(target, link_name)?;
@@ -116,3 +128,44 @@ fn create_symlink_for_file(target: &Path, link_name: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
         std::os::windows::fs::symlink_file(target, link_name)
     }
 }
+
+fn check_target_valid(target: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<(), ActivationError> {
+    match fs::read_dir(&target) {
+        Ok(entries) => {
+            if entries.count() == 0 {
+                debug!(
+                    "Target {} is a valid target",
+                    &target.as_ref().to_string_lossy()
+                );
+                Ok(())
+            } else {
+                Err(ActivationError::TargetNotEmpty)
+            }
+        }
+        Err(e) => Err(ActivationError::TargetNotValid(e)),
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Error)]
+pub enum ActivationError {
+    #[error("Could not find game in instance config")]
+    GameNotFound,
+
+    #[error("Could not find mod in instance config")]
+    ModNotFound,
+
+    #[error("The target is not empty")]
+    TargetNotEmpty,
+
+    #[error("The target is not valid")]
+    TargetNotValid(io::Error),
+
+    #[error("Failed to create symlink")]
+    Linking(io::Error),
+
+    #[error("Failed to create Plugins.txt")]
+    PluginsTXT(io::Error),
+
+    #[error("Failed to export files in game installation")]
+    ExportGameLinks(io::Error),
+}