diff --git a/users/emmathorpe/work.nix b/users/emmathorpe/work.nix
index 049f047..b435b95 100644
--- a/users/emmathorpe/work.nix
+++ b/users/emmathorpe/work.nix
@@ -48,8 +48,10 @@
     docker = "/run/current-system/sw/bin/docker";
   };
   programs.tmux = {
+    # kube-tmux is an external checkout; guard on its presence so the status
+    # line degrades gracefully (no per-refresh error) when it isn't cloned.
     extraConfig = ''
-      			set -g status-right "#(/run/current-system/sw/bin/bash $HOME/code/kube-tmux/kube.tmux 250 red black)"		
+      set -g status-right "#(if [ -f $HOME/code/kube-tmux/kube.tmux ]; then /run/current-system/sw/bin/bash $HOME/code/kube-tmux/kube.tmux 250 red black; fi)"
     '';
   };
   programs.go = {