diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 8b69fea..38844d1 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -56,13 +56,19 @@ macro_rules! register_command {
 macro_rules! handle_command {
     ($module:ident, $matches:ident) => {
         if let Some(sub_matches) = $matches.subcommand_matches(stringify!($module)) {
-            command::$module::run(&$matches, &sub_matches).await;
+            crate::troubleshooter::run_wrapped(
+                &$matches, &sub_matches,
+                command::$module::run,
+            ).await;
             return;
         }
     };
     ($name:expr, $module:ident, $matches:ident) => {
         if let Some(sub_matches) = $matches.subcommand_matches($name) {
-            command::$module::run(&$matches, &sub_matches).await;
+            crate::troubleshooter::run_wrapped(
+                &$matches, &sub_matches,
+                command::$module::run,
+            ).await;
             return;
         }
     };
diff --git a/src/command/apply.rs b/src/command/apply.rs
index d04dbf3..f77c871 100644
--- a/src/command/apply.rs
+++ b/src/command/apply.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::nix::deployment::{
     EvaluationNodeLimit,
     ParallelismLimit,
 };
+use crate::nix::NixError;
 use crate::nix::host::local as localhost;
 use crate::util;
 
@@ -114,13 +115,13 @@ pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
     util::register_selector_args(command)
 }
 
-pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
-    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await.unwrap();
+pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
+    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await?;
 
     log::info!("Enumerating nodes...");
-    let all_nodes = hive.deployment_info().await.unwrap();
+    let all_nodes = hive.deployment_info().await?;
 
-    let nix_options = hive.nix_options().await.unwrap();
+    let nix_options = hive.nix_options().await?;
 
     let selected_nodes = match local_args.value_of("on") {
         Some(filter) => {
@@ -241,4 +242,6 @@ pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
     if !success {
         quit::with_code(10);
     }
+
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/command/apply_local.rs b/src/command/apply_local.rs
index 3c28570..e6ec0c3 100644
--- a/src/command/apply_local.rs
+++ b/src/command/apply_local.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use crate::nix::deployment::{
     Target,
     DeploymentOptions,
 };
-use crate::nix::host;
+use crate::nix::{NixError, host};
 use crate::util;
 
 pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ By default, Colmena will deploy keys set in `deployment.keys` before activating
             .takes_value(false))
 }
 
-pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
+pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
     // Sanity check: Are we running NixOS?
     if let Ok(os_release) = fs::read_to_string("/etc/os-release").await {
         if !os_release.contains("ID=nixos\n") {
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
     if !success {
         quit::with_code(10);
     }
+
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 async fn escalate(sudo: &str) -> ! {
diff --git a/src/command/eval.rs b/src/command/eval.rs
index 4e2c4f3..0eb05d7 100644
--- a/src/command/eval.rs
+++ b/src/command/eval.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use clap::{Arg, App, AppSettings, SubCommand, ArgMatches};
 
 use crate::util;
+use crate::nix::NixError;
 
 pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
     SubCommand::with_name("eval")
@@ -37,12 +38,12 @@ pub fn deprecated_alias() -> App<'static, 'static> {
         .setting(AppSettings::Hidden)
 }
 
-pub async fn run(global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
+pub async fn run(global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
     if let Some("introspect") = global_args.subcommand_name() {
         log::warn!("`colmena introspect` has been renamed to `colmena eval`. Please update your scripts.");
     }
 
-    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await.unwrap();
+    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await?;
 
     if !(local_args.is_present("expression") ^ local_args.is_present("expression_file")) {
         log::error!("Either an expression (-E) or a .nix file containing an expression should be specified, not both.");
@@ -57,11 +58,13 @@ pub async fn run(global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
     };
 
     let instantiate = local_args.is_present("instantiate");
-    let result = hive.introspect(expression, instantiate).await.unwrap();
+    let result = hive.introspect(expression, instantiate).await?;
 
     if instantiate {
         print!("{}", result);
     } else {
         println!("{}", result);
     }
+
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/command/exec.rs b/src/command/exec.rs
index eeda5c0..3c692f5 100644
--- a/src/command/exec.rs
+++ b/src/command/exec.rs
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ It's recommended to use -- to separate Colmena options from the command to run.
     util::register_selector_args(command)
 }
 
-pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
-    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await.unwrap();
+pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
+    let hive = util::hive_from_args(local_args).await?;
 
     log::info!("Enumerating nodes...");
-    let all_nodes = hive.deployment_info().await.unwrap();
+    let all_nodes = hive.deployment_info().await?;
 
     let selected_nodes = match local_args.value_of("on") {
         Some(filter) => {
@@ -167,4 +167,6 @@ pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
 
         join_all(futures).await;
     }).await;
+
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/command/nix_info.rs b/src/command/nix_info.rs
index 62f8716..4e7c98b 100644
--- a/src/command/nix_info.rs
+++ b/src/command/nix_info.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 use clap::{App, SubCommand, ArgMatches};
 
-use crate::nix::NixCheck;
+use crate::nix::{NixCheck, NixError};
 
 pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
     SubCommand::with_name("nix-info")
         .about("Show information about the current Nix installation")
 }
 
-pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
+pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
     let check = NixCheck::detect().await;
     check.print_version_info();
     check.print_flakes_info(false);
+
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/command/test_progress.rs b/src/command/test_progress.rs
index 2a6751a..43c9f14 100644
--- a/src/command/test_progress.rs
+++ b/src/command/test_progress.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 use clap::{App, AppSettings, SubCommand, ArgMatches};
 use tokio::time;
 
+use crate::nix::NixError;
 use crate::progress::{Progress, OutputStyle};
 
 pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
         .setting(AppSettings::Hidden)
 }
 
-pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
+pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) -> Result<(), NixError> {
     let progress = Progress::with_style(OutputStyle::Condensed);
     let mut task = progress.create_task_progress(String::from("test"));
 
@@ -21,4 +22,6 @@ pub async fn run(_global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>) {
     }
 
     task.success("Completed");
+
+    Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b69620a..f3585ea 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ mod nix;
 mod cli;
 mod command;
 mod progress;
+mod troubleshooter;
 mod util;
 
 #[tokio::main]
diff --git a/src/troubleshooter.rs b/src/troubleshooter.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b78e732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/troubleshooter.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+//! Automatic troubleshooter.
+//!
+//! Tries to provide some useful hints when things go wrong.
+
+use std::env;
+use std::future::Future;
+
+use clap::ArgMatches;
+
+use crate::nix::NixError;
+
+/// Runs a closure and tries to troubleshoot if it returns an error.
+pub async fn run_wrapped<'a, F, U, T>(global_args: &'a ArgMatches<'a>, local_args: &'a ArgMatches<'a>, f: U) -> T
+    where U: FnOnce(&'a ArgMatches<'a>, &'a ArgMatches<'a>) -> F,
+          F: Future<Output = Result<T, NixError>>,
+{
+    match f(global_args, local_args).await {
+        Ok(r) => r,
+        Err(error) => {
+            log::error!("-----");
+            log::error!("Operation failed with error: {}", error);
+
+            if let Err(own_error) = troubleshoot(global_args, local_args, &error) {
+                log::error!("Error occurred while trying to troubleshoot another error: {}", own_error);
+            }
+
+            // Ensure we exit with a code
+            quit::with_code(1);
+        },
+    }
+}
+
+fn troubleshoot(global_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, _local_args: &ArgMatches<'_>, error: &NixError) -> Result<(), NixError> {
+    match error {
+        NixError::NoFlakesSupport => {
+            // People following the tutorial might put hive.nix directly
+            // in their Colmena checkout, and encounter NoFlakesSupport
+            // because Colmena always prefers flake.nix when it exists.
+
+            if global_args.occurrences_of("config") == 0 {
+                let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
+                if cwd.join("flake.nix").is_file() && cwd.join("hive.nix").is_file() {
+                    eprintln!("Hint: You have both flake.nix and hive.nix in the current directory, and");
+                    eprintln!("      Colmena will always prefer flake.nix if it exists.");
+                    eprintln!();
+                    eprintln!("      Try passing `-f hive.nix` explicitly if this is what you want.");
+                }
+            };
+        }
+        _ => {},
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}