diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2f84b7b2..d399b708 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20220829220503-c86fa9a7ed90
 	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220909164309-bea034e7d591
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20220909003341-f21342109be1
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913153101-76c7481b5158
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913175220-63ea55921009
 	golang.org/x/time v0.0.0-20220722155302-e5dcc9cfc0b9
 	google.golang.org/api v0.95.0
 	gopkg.in/natefinch/lumberjack.v2 v2.0.0
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/tools v0.1.12 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20220907171357-04be3eba64a2 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/appengine v1.6.7 // indirect
-	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220909194730-69f6226f97e5 // indirect
+	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220913154956-18f8339a66a5 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/grpc v1.49.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.28.1 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/ini.v1 v1.67.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index fc51062e..a5f36e9e 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -980,8 +980,8 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220624220833-87e55d714810/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBc
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220704084225-05e143d24a9e/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220728004956-3c1f35247d10/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220811171246-fbc7d0a398ab/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913153101-76c7481b5158 h1:XQphkCZeKYaMRSo28HqvvNYuLOoM5CIOOvTZfthvTgI=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913153101-76c7481b5158/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913175220-63ea55921009 h1:PuvuRMeLWqsf/ZdT1UUZz0syhioyv1mzuFZsXs4fvhw=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220913175220-63ea55921009/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211 h1:JGgROgKl9N8DuW20oFS5gxc+lE67/N3FcwmBPMe7ArY=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
@@ -1229,8 +1229,8 @@ google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220523171625-347a074981d8/go.mod h1:RAyBrSAP
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220608133413-ed9918b62aac/go.mod h1:KEWEmljWE5zPzLBa/oHl6DaEt9LmfH6WtH1OHIvleBA=
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220616135557-88e70c0c3a90/go.mod h1:KEWEmljWE5zPzLBa/oHl6DaEt9LmfH6WtH1OHIvleBA=
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220624142145-8cd45d7dbd1f/go.mod h1:KEWEmljWE5zPzLBa/oHl6DaEt9LmfH6WtH1OHIvleBA=
-google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220909194730-69f6226f97e5 h1:ngtP8S8JkBWfJACT9cmj5eTkS9tIWPQI5leBz/7Bq/c=
-google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220909194730-69f6226f97e5/go.mod h1:0Nb8Qy+Sk5eDzHnzlStwW3itdNaWoZA5XeSG+R3JHSo=
+google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220913154956-18f8339a66a5 h1:ou3VRVAif8UJqz3l1r4Isoz7rrUWHWDHBonShMNYoQs=
+google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20220913154956-18f8339a66a5/go.mod h1:0Nb8Qy+Sk5eDzHnzlStwW3itdNaWoZA5XeSG+R3JHSo=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.19.0/go.mod h1:mqu4LbDTu4XGKhr4mRzUsmM4RtVoemTSY81AxZiDr8c=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.20.1/go.mod h1:10oTOabMzJvdu6/UiuZezV6QK5dSlG84ov/aaiqXj38=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.21.1/go.mod h1:oYelfM1adQP15Ek0mdvEgi9Df8B9CZIaU1084ijfRaM=
diff --git a/internal/util/errors.go b/internal/util/errors.go
index 2065a99a..a9c11169 100644
--- a/internal/util/errors.go
+++ b/internal/util/errors.go
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 )
 
+const (
+	templateLoadErrorHints = "Try setting the absolute templates path in your configuration file " +
+		"or specifying the config directory adding the `-c` flag to the serve options. For example: " +
+		"sftpgo serve -c \"<path to dir containing the default config file and templates directory>\""
+)
+
 // ValidationError raised if input data is not valid
 type ValidationError struct {
 	err string
diff --git a/internal/util/resources.go b/internal/util/resources.go
index ee8b0719..506d4138 100644
--- a/internal/util/resources.go
+++ b/internal/util/resources.go
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ func LoadTemplate(base *template.Template, paths ...string) *template.Template {
 
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.ErrorToConsole("error loading required template: %v", err)
+		logger.ErrorToConsole(templateLoadErrorHints)
 		logger.Error(logSender, "", "error loading required template: %v", err)
-		panic(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	return t
 }
diff --git a/internal/util/resources_embedded.go b/internal/util/resources_embedded.go
index f77dfb5c..7f2b4f42 100644
--- a/internal/util/resources_embedded.go
+++ b/internal/util/resources_embedded.go
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ func LoadTemplate(base *template.Template, paths ...string) *template.Template {
 
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.ErrorToConsole("error loading required template: %v", err)
+		logger.ErrorToConsole(templateLoadErrorHints)
 		logger.Error(logSender, "", "error loading required template: %v", err)
-		panic(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	return t
 }