diff --git a/plat/marvell/armada/a3k/common/a3700_common.mk b/plat/marvell/armada/a3k/common/a3700_common.mk
index 824a3c690..452d9d220 100644
--- a/plat/marvell/armada/a3k/common/a3700_common.mk
+++ b/plat/marvell/armada/a3k/common/a3700_common.mk
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ endif
 
 ifdef WTP
 
+$(if $(wildcard $(value WTP)/*),,$(error "'WTP=$(value WTP)' was specified, but '$(value WTP)' directory does not exist"))
+$(if $(shell test -s "$(value WTP)/branch.txt" || git -C $(value WTP) rev-parse --show-cdup 2>&1),$(error "'WTP=$(value WTP)' was specified, but '$(value WTP)' does not contain valid Marvell a3700_utils release tarball nor git repository"))
+
 DOIMAGEPATH	:= $(WTP)
 DOIMAGETOOL	:= $(DOIMAGEPATH)/wtptp/src/TBB_Linux/release/TBB_linux
 
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ DOIMAGE_FLAGS		:= -r $(DOIMAGE_CFG) -v -D
 
 $(DOIMAGETOOL): FORCE
 	$(if $(value CRYPTOPP_PATH),,$(error "Platform '${PLAT}' for WTP image tool requires CRYPTOPP_PATH. Please set CRYPTOPP_PATH to point to the right directory"))
+	$(if $(wildcard $(value CRYPTOPP_PATH)/*),,$(error "'CRYPTOPP_PATH=$(value CRYPTOPP_PATH)' was specified, but '$(value CRYPTOPP_PATH)' directory does not exist"))
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) --no-print-directory -C $(CRYPTOPP_PATH) -f GNUmakefile
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) --no-print-directory -C $(DOIMAGEPATH)/wtptp/src/TBB_Linux -f TBB_linux.mak LIBDIR=$(CRYPTOPP_PATH)
 
@@ -138,6 +142,8 @@ $(WTMI_MULTI_IMG): FORCE
 
 $(TIMDDRTOOL): FORCE
 	$(if $(value MV_DDR_PATH),,$(error "Platform '${PLAT}' for ddr tool requires MV_DDR_PATH. Please set MV_DDR_PATH to point to the right directory"))
+	$(if $(wildcard $(value MV_DDR_PATH)/*),,$(error "'MV_DDR_PATH=$(value MV_DDR_PATH)' was specified, but '$(value MV_DDR_PATH)' directory does not exist"))
+	$(if $(shell test -s "$(value MV_DDR_PATH)/branch.txt" || git -C $(value MV_DDR_PATH) rev-parse --show-cdup 2>&1),$(error "'MV_DDR_PATH=$(value MV_DDR_PATH)' was specified, but '$(value MV_DDR_PATH)' does not contain valid Marvell mv_ddr release tarball nor git repository"))
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) --no-print-directory -C $(DOIMAGEPATH) MV_DDR_PATH=$(MV_DDR_PATH) mv_ddr
 
 .PHONY: mrvl_flash