diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_linux.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_linux.dart
index b3e9b78061..81f096ac77 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_linux.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_linux.dart
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ class BuildLinuxCommand extends BuildSubCommand {
     if (!globals.platform.isLinux) {
       throwToolExit('"build linux" only supported on Linux hosts.');
     }
-    if (!flutterProject.linux.existsSync()) {
-      throwToolExit('No Linux desktop project configured.');
-    }
     await buildLinux(flutterProject.linux, buildInfo, target: targetFile);
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_macos.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_macos.dart
index c966f3cf11..8d39a3a633 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_macos.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_macos.dart
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ class BuildMacosCommand extends BuildSubCommand {
     if (!globals.platform.isMacOS) {
       throwToolExit('"build macos" only supported on macOS hosts.');
     }
-    if (!flutterProject.macos.existsSync()) {
-      throwToolExit('No macOS desktop project configured.');
-    }
     await buildMacOS(
       flutterProject: flutterProject,
       buildInfo: buildInfo,
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_windows.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_windows.dart
index 7be232b781..3dd6ff705f 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_windows.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/build_windows.dart
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ class BuildWindowsCommand extends BuildSubCommand {
     if (!globals.platform.isWindows) {
       throwToolExit('"build windows" only supported on Windows hosts.');
     }
-    if (!flutterProject.windows.existsSync()) {
-      throwToolExit('No Windows desktop project configured.');
-    }
     await buildWindows(flutterProject.windows, buildInfo, target: targetFile);
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/linux/build_linux.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/linux/build_linux.dart
index 92e896a03a..c34a4f8e98 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/linux/build_linux.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/linux/build_linux.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ import '../reporting/reporting.dart';
 
 /// Builds the Linux project through the Makefile.
 Future<void> buildLinux(LinuxProject linuxProject, BuildInfo buildInfo, {String target = 'lib/main.dart'}) async {
+  if (!linuxProject.makeFile.existsSync()) {
+    throwToolExit('No Linux desktop project configured. See '
+      'https://github.com/flutter/flutter/wiki/Desktop-shells#create '
+      'to learn about adding Linux support to a project.');
+  }
+
   final StringBuffer buffer = StringBuffer('''
 # Generated code do not commit.
 export FLUTTER_ROOT=${Cache.flutterRoot}
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/macos/build_macos.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/macos/build_macos.dart
index da6de5e990..d0c528a4fe 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/macos/build_macos.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/macos/build_macos.dart
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ Future<void> buildMacOS({
   BuildInfo buildInfo,
   String targetOverride,
 }) async {
+  if (!flutterProject.macos.xcodeWorkspace.existsSync()) {
+    throwToolExit('No macOS desktop project configured. '
+      'See https://flutter.dev/desktop#add-desktop-support-to-an-existing-flutter-project '
+      'to learn about adding macOS support to a project.');
+  }
+
   final Directory flutterBuildDir = globals.fs.directory(getMacOSBuildDirectory());
   if (!flutterBuildDir.existsSync()) {
     flutterBuildDir.createSync(recursive: true);
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/windows/build_windows.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/windows/build_windows.dart
index 55e4b77a39..d4b3c50a2d 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/windows/build_windows.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/windows/build_windows.dart
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ import 'visual_studio.dart';
 
 /// Builds the Windows project using msbuild.
 Future<void> buildWindows(WindowsProject windowsProject, BuildInfo buildInfo, {String target}) async {
+  if (!windowsProject.solutionFile.existsSync()) {
+    throwToolExit(
+      'No Windows desktop project configured. '
+      'See https://github.com/flutter/flutter/wiki/Desktop-shells#create '
+      'to learn about adding Windows support to a project.');
+  }
+
   final Map<String, String> environment = <String, String>{
     'FLUTTER_ROOT': Cache.flutterRoot,
     'FLUTTER_EPHEMERAL_DIR': windowsProject.ephemeralDirectory.path,
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_linux_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_linux_test.dart
index d2d93543d4..e6a7244a7d 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_linux_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_linux_test.dart
@@ -55,14 +55,19 @@ void main() {
     when(notLinuxPlatform.isWindows).thenReturn(false);
   });
 
-  // Creates the mock files necessary to run a build.
-  void setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild() {
-    globals.fs.file('linux/build.sh').createSync(recursive: true);
+  // Creates the mock files necessary to look like a Flutter project.
+  void setUpMockCoreProjectFiles() {
     globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
     globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
     globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
   }
 
+  // Creates the mock files necessary to run a build.
+  void setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild() {
+    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('linux', 'Makefile')).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockCoreProjectFiles();
+  }
+
   // Sets up mock expectation for running 'make'.
   void expectMakeInvocationWithMode(String buildModeName) {
     when(mockProcessManager.start(<String>[
@@ -78,9 +83,10 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Linux build fails when there is no linux project', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
+    setUpMockCoreProjectFiles();
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(
       const <String>['build', 'linux']
-    ), throwsA(isInstanceOf<ToolExit>()));
+    ), throwsToolExit(message: 'No Linux desktop project configured'));
   }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
     Platform: () => linuxPlatform,
     FileSystem: () => MemoryFileSystem(),
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_macos_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_macos_test.dart
index 7f6d74fb0f..18ad8d42f3 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_macos_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_macos_test.dart
@@ -67,14 +67,19 @@ void main() {
     when(notMacosPlatform.isWindows).thenReturn(false);
   });
 
-  // Sets up the minimal mock project files necessary for macOS builds to succeed.
-  void createMinimalMockProjectFiles() {
-    globals.fs.directory('macos').createSync();
+  // Sets up the minimal mock project files necessary to look like a Flutter project.
+  void createCoreMockProjectFiles() {
     globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
     globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
     globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
   }
 
+  // Sets up the minimal mock project files necessary for macOS builds to succeed.
+  void createMinimalMockProjectFiles() {
+    globals.fs.directory(globals.fs.path.join('macos', 'Runner.xcworkspace')).createSync(recursive: true);
+    createCoreMockProjectFiles();
+  }
+
   // Mocks the process manager to handle an xcodebuild call to build the app
   // in the given configuration.
   void setUpMockXcodeBuildHandler(String configuration) {
@@ -102,11 +107,14 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('macOS build fails when there is no macos project', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
+    createCoreMockProjectFiles();
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(
       const <String>['build', 'macos']
-    ), throwsA(isInstanceOf<ToolExit>()));
+    ), throwsToolExit(message: 'No macOS desktop project configured'));
   }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
     Platform: () => macosPlatform,
+    FileSystem: () => MemoryFileSystem(),
+    ProcessManager: () => FakeProcessManager.any(),
     FeatureFlags: () => TestFeatureFlags(isMacOSEnabled: true),
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_windows_test.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_windows_test.dart
index 9a81864207..5b2f571b83 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_windows_test.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/test/commands.shard/hermetic/build_windows_test.dart
@@ -58,10 +58,23 @@ void main() {
     when(notWindowsPlatform.isWindows).thenReturn(false);
   });
 
+  // Creates the mock files necessary to look like a Flutter project.
+  void setUpMockCoreProjectFiles() {
+    globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
+    globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
+    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
+  }
+
+  // Creates the mock files necessary to run a build.
+  void setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild() {
+    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockCoreProjectFiles();
+  }
+
   testUsingContext('Windows build fails when there is no vcvars64.bat', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
-    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild();
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(
       const <String>['build', 'windows']
     ), throwsA(isInstanceOf<ToolExit>()));
@@ -76,10 +89,11 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Windows build fails when there is no windows project', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
+    setUpMockCoreProjectFiles();
     when(mockVisualStudio.vcvarsPath).thenReturn(vcvarsPath);
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(
       const <String>['build', 'windows']
-    ), throwsA(isInstanceOf<ToolExit>()));
+    ), throwsToolExit(message: 'No Windows desktop project configured'));
   }, overrides: <Type, Generator>{
     Platform: () => windowsPlatform,
     FileSystem: () => MemoryFileSystem(style: FileSystemStyle.windows),
@@ -91,11 +105,8 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Windows build fails on non windows platform', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
-    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild();
     when(mockVisualStudio.vcvarsPath).thenReturn(vcvarsPath);
-    globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
 
     expect(createTestCommandRunner(command).run(
       const <String>['build', 'windows']
@@ -111,11 +122,8 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Windows build does not spew stdout to status logger', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
-    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild();
     when(mockVisualStudio.vcvarsPath).thenReturn(vcvarsPath);
-    globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
 
     when(mockProcessManager.start(<String>[
       r'C:\packages\flutter_tools\bin\vs_build.bat',
@@ -142,11 +150,8 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Windows build invokes msbuild and writes generated files', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
-    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild();
     when(mockVisualStudio.vcvarsPath).thenReturn(vcvarsPath);
-    globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
 
     when(mockProcessManager.start(<String>[
       r'C:\packages\flutter_tools\bin\vs_build.bat',
@@ -179,11 +184,8 @@ void main() {
   testUsingContext('Release build prints an under-construction warning', () async {
     final BuildCommand command = BuildCommand();
     applyMocksToCommand(command);
-    globals.fs.file(solutionPath).createSync(recursive: true);
+    setUpMockProjectFilesForBuild();
     when(mockVisualStudio.vcvarsPath).thenReturn(vcvarsPath);
-    globals.fs.file('pubspec.yaml').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file('.packages').createSync();
-    globals.fs.file(globals.fs.path.join('lib', 'main.dart')).createSync(recursive: true);
 
     when(mockProcessManager.start(<String>[
       r'C:\packages\flutter_tools\bin\vs_build.bat',