diff --git a/setup-relay.sh b/setup-relay.sh
index 88e3ad7..506b49c 100644
--- a/setup-relay.sh
+++ b/setup-relay.sh
@@ -301,6 +301,8 @@ for (( i=1; i<=RELAY_COUNT; i++ )); do
         CERT_FILE="/certs/fullchain.pem"
         KEY_FILE="/certs/privkey.pem"
         LE_EMAIL=""; LE_DATA_DIR=""
+        mkdir -p "${CERT_HOST_PATH}"
+        success "  Certificate directory: ${CERT_HOST_PATH}"
         read_multiline_block PASTED_CERT "  Paste the certificate PEM" "END_CERT"
         read_multiline_block PASTED_KEY "  Paste the private key PEM" "END_KEY"
     else
@@ -574,6 +576,11 @@ volumes:
                 printf '%s' "${PASTED_CERT}" > "${CERT_HOST_PATH}/fullchain.pem"
                 printf '%s' "${PASTED_KEY}" > "${CERT_HOST_PATH}/privkey.pem"
                 chmod 600 "${CERT_HOST_PATH}/privkey.pem"
+                if [[ ! -s "${CERT_HOST_PATH}/fullchain.pem" ]] || [[ ! -s "${CERT_HOST_PATH}/privkey.pem" ]]; then
+                    error "  Failed to write pasted certificate files to ${CERT_HOST_PATH}."
+                    error "  Please re-run and paste complete PEM blocks ending with END_CERT and END_KEY."
+                    exit 1
+                fi
                 success "  Certificate : ${CERT_HOST_PATH}/fullchain.pem"
                 success "  Private key : ${CERT_HOST_PATH}/privkey.pem"
             fi