diff --git a/internal/super/init_test.go b/internal/super/init_test.go
index 2f72c7ed8..f40f0aae0 100644
--- a/internal/super/init_test.go
+++ b/internal/super/init_test.go
@@ -39,3 +39,8 @@ func Test_ResolveTargetDirectory_CurrentDirCases(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, filepath.Clean(wd), filepath.Clean(dot))
 }
+
+func Test_GetTargetDirectory_StatError(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := getTargetDirectory("invalid\x00path")
+	assert.Error(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/internal/super/init_utils.go b/internal/super/init_utils.go
index 572d64e94..1e9f49ee4 100644
--- a/internal/super/init_utils.go
+++ b/internal/super/init_utils.go
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ func getTargetDirectory(directory string) (string, error) {
 
 	target := filepath.Join(pwd, directory)
 	info, err := os.Stat(target)
-	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if err == nil {
 		if !info.IsDir() {
 			return "", fmt.Errorf("%s is a file", target)
 		}