diff --git a/stow/if-command/nvim/.config/nvim/plugin/memy-note.lua b/stow/if-command/nvim/.config/nvim/plugin/memy-note.lua
index 00078de7..803e9091 100644
--- a/stow/if-command/nvim/.config/nvim/plugin/memy-note.lua
+++ b/stow/if-command/nvim/.config/nvim/plugin/memy-note.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 local MEMY_DIR = vim.fn.expand("~/memy")
+
+if vim.fn.executable("memy") == 0 and vim.fn.isdirectory(MEMY_DIR) == 0 then
+    vim.notify("memy is not installed; memy note-taking disabled", vim.log.levels.WARN)
+    return
+end
 local HOOKS_FILE = MEMY_DIR .. "/hooks/neovim.lua"
 
 if vim.fn.isdirectory(MEMY_DIR) == 1 then