diff --git a/conservancy_beancount/reconcile/helper.py b/conservancy_beancount/reconcile/helper.py
index 646efd4..2aff9af 100644
--- a/conservancy_beancount/reconcile/helper.py
+++ b/conservancy_beancount/reconcile/helper.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from dateutil.relativedelta import relativedelta
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import io
+import sys
 import tempfile
 import textwrap
 import typing
@@ -113,29 +114,41 @@ def reconciliation_report_path(account, end_date):
     return f'Financial/Controls/Reports-for-Treasurer/{end_date}_{account_name}_bank-reconciliation.csv'
 
 
-# Parse all the arguments
-parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Reconciliation helper')
-parser.add_argument('--beancount-file', required=True)
-parser.add_argument('--account', help='Full account name, e.g. "Liabilities:CreditCard:AMEX"', required=True)
-parser.add_argument('--prev-end-date', type=datetime.date.fromisoformat)
-parser.add_argument('--cur-end-date', type=datetime.date.fromisoformat)
-parser.add_argument('--month', help='YYYY-MM of ending month. Use with --period.')
-parser.add_argument('--period', help='Months in the past to consider. Use with --month.', type=int, choices=[1, 3, 12])
-parser.add_argument('--statement-match')
-parser.add_argument('--cost-function', default='COST')
-parser.add_argument('--grep-output-filename')
-# parser.add_argument('--report-group-regex')
-args = parser.parse_args()
+def parse_args():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Reconciliation helper')
+    parser.add_argument('--beancount-file', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--account', help='Full account name, e.g. "Liabilities:CreditCard:AMEX"', required=True)
+    parser.add_argument('--prev-end-date', type=datetime.date.fromisoformat)
+    parser.add_argument('--cur-end-date', type=datetime.date.fromisoformat)
+    parser.add_argument('--month', help='YYYY-MM of ending month. Use with --period.')
+    parser.add_argument('--period', help='Months in the past to consider. Use with --month.', type=int, choices=[1, 3, 12])
+    parser.add_argument('--statement-match')
+    parser.add_argument('--cost-function', default='COST')
+    parser.add_argument('--grep-output-filename')
+    # parser.add_argument('--report-group-regex')
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    if args.month or args.period:
+        if not (args.month and args.period):
+            parser.error('--month and --period must be used together')
+    else:
+        if not (args.cur_end_date and args.prev_end_date):
+            parser.error(' --prev-end-date and --cur-end-date must be used together')
+    return args
+
+
+def beancount_file_exists(path):
+    return os.path.isfile(path)
+
+
+args = parse_args()
+if not beancount_file_exists(args.beancount_file):
+    sys.exit(f'Beancount file does not exist: {args.beancount_file}')
 if args.month or args.period:
-    if not (args.month and args.period):
-        parser.error('--month and --period must be used together')
     parsed_date = datetime.datetime.strptime(args.month, '%Y-%m').date()
     preDate = end_of_month(parsed_date - relativedelta(months=args.period)).isoformat()
     lastDateInPeriod = end_of_month(parsed_date).isoformat()
     month = args.month
 else:
-    if not (args.cur_end_date and args.prev_end_date):
-        parser.error(' --prev-end-date and --cur-end-date must be used together')
     preDate = args.prev_end_date
     lastDateInPeriod = args.cur_end_date.isoformat()
     month = args.cur_end_date.strftime('%Y-%m')