diff --git a/commands/benchmark.go b/commands/benchmark.go
index 4f9ab828b..6c42992a0 100644
--- a/commands/benchmark.go
+++ b/commands/benchmark.go
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ func benchmark(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	var memProf *os.File
 	if memProfileFile != "" {
diff --git a/commands/commandeer.go b/commands/commandeer.go
index e7fd70651..19eadda10 100644
--- a/commands/commandeer.go
+++ b/commands/commandeer.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package commands
 import (
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/deps"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/helpers"
+	"github.com/spf13/hugo/hugofs"
 )
 
 type commandeer struct {
@@ -35,12 +36,14 @@ func (c *commandeer) Set(key string, value interface{}) {
 // be configured before it is created.
 func (c *commandeer) PathSpec() *helpers.PathSpec {
 	c.configured = true
-	if c.pathSpec == nil {
-		c.pathSpec = helpers.NewPathSpec(c.Fs, c.Cfg)
-	}
 	return c.pathSpec
 }
 
-func newCommandeer(cfg *deps.DepsCfg) *commandeer {
-	return &commandeer{DepsCfg: cfg}
+func newCommandeer(cfg *deps.DepsCfg) (*commandeer, error) {
+	fs := hugofs.NewDefault(cfg.Language)
+	ps, err := helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, cfg.Cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &commandeer{DepsCfg: cfg, pathSpec: ps}, nil
 }
diff --git a/commands/hugo.go b/commands/hugo.go
index 48d4e0dc1..de5798df9 100644
--- a/commands/hugo.go
+++ b/commands/hugo.go
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ Complete documentation is available at http://gohugo.io/.`,
 			return err
 		}
 
-		c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
 		if buildWatch {
 			cfg.Cfg.Set("disableLiveReload", true)
@@ -287,7 +290,10 @@ func InitializeConfig(subCmdVs ...*cobra.Command) (*deps.DepsCfg, error) {
 
 	cfg.Cfg = config
 
-	c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	for _, cmdV := range append([]*cobra.Command{hugoCmdV}, subCmdVs...) {
 		c.initializeFlags(cmdV)
diff --git a/commands/list.go b/commands/list.go
index 3f3286f38..97753cc88 100644
--- a/commands/list.go
+++ b/commands/list.go
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ var listDraftsCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return err
 		}
 
-		c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
 		c.Set("buildDrafts", true)
 
@@ -87,7 +90,10 @@ posted in the future.`,
 			return err
 		}
 
-		c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
 		c.Set("buildFuture", true)
 
@@ -125,7 +131,10 @@ expired.`,
 			return err
 		}
 
-		c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
 		c.Set("buildExpired", true)
 
diff --git a/commands/new.go b/commands/new.go
index e2472af0c..abb234b87 100644
--- a/commands/new.go
+++ b/commands/new.go
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ func NewContent(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	if flagChanged(cmd.Flags(), "format") {
 		c.Set("metaDataFormat", configFormat)
@@ -220,7 +223,10 @@ func NewTheme(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return newUserError("theme name needs to be provided")
 	}
 
-	c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	createpath := c.PathSpec().AbsPathify(filepath.Join(c.Cfg.GetString("themesDir"), args[0]))
 	jww.INFO.Println("creating theme at", createpath)
diff --git a/commands/server.go b/commands/server.go
index 3e7673773..ae51d075d 100644
--- a/commands/server.go
+++ b/commands/server.go
@@ -106,7 +106,10 @@ func server(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	c := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	c, err := newCommandeer(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	if flagChanged(cmd.Flags(), "disableLiveReload") {
 		c.Set("disableLiveReload", disableLiveReload)
diff --git a/deps/deps.go b/deps/deps.go
index 3e97ffd93..659f259dd 100644
--- a/deps/deps.go
+++ b/deps/deps.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (d *Deps) LoadResources() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func New(cfg DepsCfg) *Deps {
+func New(cfg DepsCfg) (*Deps, error) {
 	var (
 		logger = cfg.Logger
 		fs     = cfg.Fs
@@ -92,26 +92,37 @@ func New(cfg DepsCfg) *Deps {
 		fs = hugofs.NewDefault(cfg.Language)
 	}
 
+	ps, err := helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, cfg.Language)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	d := &Deps{
 		Fs:                  fs,
 		Log:                 logger,
 		templateProvider:    cfg.TemplateProvider,
 		translationProvider: cfg.TranslationProvider,
 		WithTemplate:        cfg.WithTemplate,
-		PathSpec:            helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, cfg.Language),
+		PathSpec:            ps,
 		ContentSpec:         helpers.NewContentSpec(cfg.Language),
 		Cfg:                 cfg.Language,
 		Language:            cfg.Language,
 	}
 
-	return d
+	return d, nil
 }
 
 // ForLanguage creates a copy of the Deps with the language dependent
 // parts switched out.
 func (d Deps) ForLanguage(l *helpers.Language) (*Deps, error) {
+	var err error
+
+	d.PathSpec, err = helpers.NewPathSpec(d.Fs, l)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
-	d.PathSpec = helpers.NewPathSpec(d.Fs, l)
 	d.ContentSpec = helpers.NewContentSpec(l)
 	d.Cfg = l
 	d.Language = l
diff --git a/helpers/baseURL.go b/helpers/baseURL.go
index 9a4b77edd..50265fe36 100644
--- a/helpers/baseURL.go
+++ b/helpers/baseURL.go
@@ -69,6 +69,5 @@ func newBaseURLFromString(b string) (BaseURL, error) {
 		return result, err
 	}
 
-	// TODO(bep) output consider saving original URL?
 	return BaseURL{url: base, urlStr: base.String()}, nil
 }
diff --git a/helpers/baseURL_test.go b/helpers/baseURL_test.go
index eaa27ddb9..437152f34 100644
--- a/helpers/baseURL_test.go
+++ b/helpers/baseURL_test.go
@@ -48,4 +48,14 @@ func TestBaseURL(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, "webcal://hugo@rules.com", p)
 
+	// Test with "non-URLs". Some people will try to use these as a way to get
+	// relative URLs working etc.
+	b, err = newBaseURLFromString("/")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "/", b.String())
+
+	b, err = newBaseURLFromString("")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "", b.String())
+
 }
diff --git a/helpers/path_test.go b/helpers/path_test.go
index 90dd95288..25dbdc543 100644
--- a/helpers/path_test.go
+++ b/helpers/path_test.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestMakePath(t *testing.T) {
 		v := viper.New()
 		l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
 		v.Set("removePathAccents", test.removeAccents)
-		p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+		p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 		output := p.MakePath(test.input)
 		if output != test.expected {
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestMakePath(t *testing.T) {
 func TestMakePathSanitized(t *testing.T) {
 	v := viper.New()
 	l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-	p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+	p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		input    string
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func TestMakePathSanitizedDisablePathToLower(t *testing.T) {
 	v.Set("disablePathToLower", true)
 
 	l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-	p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+	p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		input    string
diff --git a/helpers/pathspec.go b/helpers/pathspec.go
index de7665c87..ff4488020 100644
--- a/helpers/pathspec.go
+++ b/helpers/pathspec.go
@@ -60,10 +60,14 @@ func (p PathSpec) String() string {
 }
 
 // NewPathSpec creats a new PathSpec from the given filesystems and Language.
-func NewPathSpec(fs *hugofs.Fs, cfg config.Provider) *PathSpec {
+func NewPathSpec(fs *hugofs.Fs, cfg config.Provider) (*PathSpec, error) {
 
-	// TODO(bep) output error handling
-	baseURL, _ := newBaseURLFromString(cfg.GetString("baseURL"))
+	baseURLstr := cfg.GetString("baseURL")
+	baseURL, err := newBaseURLFromString(baseURLstr)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to create baseURL from %q: %s", baseURLstr, err)
+	}
 
 	ps := &PathSpec{
 		fs:                             fs,
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ func NewPathSpec(fs *hugofs.Fs, cfg config.Provider) *PathSpec {
 		ps.language = language
 	}
 
-	return ps
+	return ps, nil
 }
 
 // PaginatePath returns the configured root path used for paginator pages.
diff --git a/helpers/pathspec_test.go b/helpers/pathspec_test.go
index c67c6fbdc..2536b8f24 100644
--- a/helpers/pathspec_test.go
+++ b/helpers/pathspec_test.go
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ func TestNewPathSpecFromConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	v.Set("staticDir", "thestatic")
 	v.Set("theme", "thetheme")
 
-	p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+	p, err := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.True(t, p.canonifyURLs)
 	require.True(t, p.defaultContentLanguageInSubdir)
 	require.True(t, p.disablePathToLower)
diff --git a/helpers/testhelpers_test.go b/helpers/testhelpers_test.go
index 303f9feb6..d5a1b60ed 100644
--- a/helpers/testhelpers_test.go
+++ b/helpers/testhelpers_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import (
 
 func newTestPathSpec(fs *hugofs.Fs, v *viper.Viper) *PathSpec {
 	l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-	return NewPathSpec(fs, l)
+	ps, _ := NewPathSpec(fs, l)
+	return ps
 }
 
 func newTestDefaultPathSpec(configKeyValues ...interface{}) *PathSpec {
diff --git a/helpers/url_test.go b/helpers/url_test.go
index b53e2e6cc..499388259 100644
--- a/helpers/url_test.go
+++ b/helpers/url_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func TestURLize(t *testing.T) {
 
 	v := viper.New()
 	l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-	p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+	p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		input    string
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func doTestAbsURL(t *testing.T, defaultInSubDir, addLanguage, multilingual bool,
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		v.Set("baseURL", test.baseURL)
 		l := NewLanguage(lang, v)
-		p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+		p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 		output := p.AbsURL(test.input, addLanguage)
 		expected := test.expected
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func doTestRelURL(t *testing.T, defaultInSubDir, addLanguage, multilingual bool,
 		v.Set("baseURL", test.baseURL)
 		v.Set("canonifyURLs", test.canonify)
 		l := NewLanguage(lang, v)
-		p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+		p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 		output := p.RelURL(test.input, addLanguage)
 
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ func TestURLPrep(t *testing.T) {
 		v := viper.New()
 		v.Set("uglyURLs", d.ugly)
 		l := NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-		p := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
+		p, _ := NewPathSpec(hugofs.NewMem(v), l)
 
 		output := p.URLPrep(d.input)
 		if d.output != output {
diff --git a/hugolib/hugo_sites.go b/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
index d0ad57525..6c737f65a 100644
--- a/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
+++ b/hugolib/hugo_sites.go
@@ -92,7 +92,13 @@ func applyDepsIfNeeded(cfg deps.DepsCfg, sites ...*Site) error {
 		if d == nil {
 			cfg.Language = s.Language
 			cfg.WithTemplate = s.withSiteTemplates(cfg.WithTemplate)
-			d = deps.New(cfg)
+
+			var err error
+			d, err = deps.New(cfg)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
 			s.Deps = d
 
 			if err = d.LoadResources(); err != nil {
diff --git a/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go b/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
index 1caa97e4e..d50514529 100644
--- a/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/testhelpers_test.go
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ func (th testHelper) replaceDefaultContentLanguageValue(value string) string {
 
 func newTestPathSpec(fs *hugofs.Fs, v *viper.Viper) *helpers.PathSpec {
 	l := helpers.NewDefaultLanguage(v)
-	return helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, l)
+	ps, _ := helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, l)
+	return ps
 }
 
 func newTestDefaultPathSpec() *helpers.PathSpec {
@@ -82,7 +83,8 @@ func newTestDefaultPathSpec() *helpers.PathSpec {
 	// Easier to reason about in tests.
 	v.Set("disablePathToLower", true)
 	fs := hugofs.NewDefault(v)
-	return helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, v)
+	ps, _ := helpers.NewPathSpec(fs, v)
+	return ps
 }
 
 func newTestCfg() (*viper.Viper, *hugofs.Fs) {
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
index aa322dded..a9cf5e58b 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_funcs_test.go
@@ -289,12 +289,16 @@ urlize: bat-man
 	}
 	config.Fs = fs
 
-	d := deps.New(config)
+	d, err := deps.New(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	if err := d.LoadResources(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err := d.Tmpl.Lookup("test").Execute(&b, &data)
+	err = d.Tmpl.Lookup("test").Execute(&b, &data)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Got error on execute", err)
@@ -2902,12 +2906,13 @@ func TestPartialCached(t *testing.T) {
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		de := deps.New(config)
+		de, err := deps.New(config)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
 
 		buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
 		templ := de.Tmpl.Lookup("testroot")
-		err := templ.Execute(buf, &data)
+		err = templ.Execute(buf, &data)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("[%d] error executing template: %s", i, err)
 		}
@@ -2941,7 +2946,8 @@ func BenchmarkPartial(b *testing.B) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	de := deps.New(config)
+	de, err := deps.New(config)
+	require.NoError(b, err)
 	require.NoError(b, de.LoadResources())
 
 	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
@@ -2972,7 +2978,8 @@ func BenchmarkPartialCached(b *testing.B) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	de := deps.New(config)
+	de, err := deps.New(config)
+	require.NoError(b, err)
 	require.NoError(b, de.LoadResources())
 
 	buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
@@ -2994,7 +3001,10 @@ func newTestFuncster() *templateFuncster {
 
 func newTestFuncsterWithViper(v *viper.Viper) *templateFuncster {
 	config := newDepsConfig(v)
-	d := deps.New(config)
+	d, err := deps.New(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 
 	if err := d.LoadResources(); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -3013,7 +3023,8 @@ func newTestTemplate(t *testing.T, name, template string) *template.Template {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	de := deps.New(config)
+	de, err := deps.New(config)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
 
 	return de.Tmpl.Lookup(name)
diff --git a/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go b/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
index 08bcab1a7..43b834df2 100644
--- a/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
+++ b/tpl/tplimpl/template_test.go
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ html lang=en
 					[]byte(this.baseContent), []byte(this.innerContent))
 			}
 
-			a := deps.New(config)
+			a, err := deps.New(config)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
 
 			if err := a.LoadResources(); err != nil {
 				t.Fatal(err)
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ html lang=en
 			}
 
 			var buff bytes.Buffer
-			err := a.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(&buff, "mytemplate.html", d)
+			err = a.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(&buff, "mytemplate.html", d)
 
 			if err != nil && this.expectErr == 0 {
 				t.Errorf("Test %d with root '%s' errored: %s", i, root, err)
@@ -288,7 +289,8 @@ func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 			return templ.AddTemplate("fuzz", this.data)
 		}
 
-		de := deps.New(config)
+		de, err := deps.New(config)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.NoError(t, de.LoadResources())
 
 		templ := de.Tmpl.(*GoHTMLTemplate)
@@ -299,7 +301,7 @@ func TestTplGoFuzzReports(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("#1 Test %d should have errored", i)
 		}
 
-		err := de.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(ioutil.Discard, "fuzz", d)
+		err = de.Tmpl.ExecuteTemplate(ioutil.Discard, "fuzz", d)
 
 		if err != nil && this.expectErr == 0 {
 			t.Fatalf("Test %d errored: %s", i, err)