diff --git a/webserver/plugin.jelly b/webserver/plugin.jelly
index b77a4a8f..63810c99 100644
--- a/webserver/plugin.jelly
+++ b/webserver/plugin.jelly
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 <!-- ================================================================== -->
 <!-- W E B S E R V E R  P L U G I N                                     -->
 <!-- ================================================================== -->
-<project xmlns:j="jelly:core" xmlns:ant="jelly:ant" xmlns:log="jelly:log">
+<project xmlns:j="jelly:core" xmlns:ant="jelly:ant" xmlns:log="jelly:log"
+  xmlns:exception="exception" xmlns:define="jelly:define">
 
   <!--==================================================================-->
   <!-- S U P P O R T E D  W E B S E R V E R S                           -->
@@ -17,14 +18,131 @@
   <goal name="webserver:init"
     description="Initialize resources needed for the plugin">
 
+    <!--
+    1. First check that name and version properties have values
+    2. Check the webserver name and version is supported by this plugin
+    3. Check the home dir to make sure we can find the install
+    4. Check the rest of the required properties
+    5. Check the ports to make sure they are numbers only
+    -->
+
+    <define:taglib uri="exception">
+      <define:tag name="requiredPropertyMissing">
+        <ant:fail message=" ">
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ | Plugin Configuration Error                                             |
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  A required property is missing a value.
+
+  Property name: ${propname}
+
+  Errors must be corrected before using this plugin.
+
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        </ant:fail>
+      </define:tag>
+      <define:tag name="invalidPropertyDirectory">
+        <ant:fail message=" ">
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ | Plugin Configuration Error                                             |
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  A required property is pointing to an invalid directory.
+
+  Property name: ${propname}
+  Invalid value: ${propvalue}
+
+  Errors must be corrected before using this plugin.
+
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        </ant:fail>
+      </define:tag>
+      <define:tag name="webserverNameNotSupported">
+        <ant:fail message=" ">
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ | Plugin Configuration Error                                             |
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  The specified webserver name is currently not supported.
+
+  Property name: ${propname}
+  Property value: ${propvalue}
+
+  For supported ${propname} values, please see the help docs.
+
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        </ant:fail>
+      </define:tag>
+      <define:tag name="webserverVersionNotSupported">
+        <ant:fail message=" ">
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ | Plugin Configuration Error                                             |
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  The specified version for the ${webserver} webserver is currently
+  not supported.
+
+  Property name: ${propname}
+  Property value: ${propvalue}
+
+  For supported ${propname} values, please see the help docs.
+
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        </ant:fail>
+      </define:tag>
+    </define:taglib>
+
+
+    <!-- Check all required properties for a name and version first -->
+    <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.webserver.name') == null}">
+      <exception:requiredPropertyMissing propname="maven.webserver.name" />
+    </j:if>
+    <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.webserver.version') == null}">
+      <exception:requiredPropertyMissing propname="maven.webserver.version" />
+    </j:if>
+
+    <!-- Check if the webserver name and version are supported -->
+    <j:choose>
+      <j:when test="${context.getVariable('maven.webserver.name') == 'apache'}">
+        <j:choose>
+          <j:when test="${context.getVariable('maven.webserver.version') == '2.x'}" />
+          <j:otherwise>
+            <exception:webserverVersionNotSupported
+              webserver="${maven.webserver.name}"
+              propname="maven.webserver.version"
+              propvalue="${maven.webserver.version}" />
+          </j:otherwise>
+        </j:choose>
+      </j:when>
+      <j:otherwise>
+        <exception:webserverNameNotSupported propname="maven.webserver.name"
+          propvalue="${maven.webserver.name}" />
+      </j:otherwise>
+    </j:choose>
+
+    <!-- Check the home dir to see if it exists -->
+    <ant:condition property="maven.webserver.home.exists">
+      <ant:available file="${maven.webserver.home}" type="dir" />
+    </ant:condition>
+    <j:if test="${!context.getVariable('maven.webserver.home.exists')}">
+      <exception:invalidPropertyDirectory propname="maven.webserver.home"
+      propvalue="${maven.webserver.home}" />
+    </j:if>
+
+
     <!-- a flag to see if the webserver is started -->
     <ant:condition property="maven.webserver.started">
       <ant:http url="${maven.webserver.url}" />
     </ant:condition>
 
     <!-- a flag to see if the webserver is installed -->
-    <ant:available property="maven.webserver.installed"
-      file="${maven.webserver.root}" type="dir" />
+    <ant:condition property="maven.webserver.installed">
+      <ant:and>
+        <ant:available file="${maven.webserver.root}" type="dir" />
+        <ant:available file="${maven.webserver.dir}" type="dir" />
+      </ant:and>
+    </ant:condition>
 
     <!-- convert all path related properties to their os equivalent -->
     <ant:property name="maven.webserver.home.path"
@@ -190,22 +308,16 @@ Installing the <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}" /> webserver instance
   <!--==================================================================-->
   <goal name="webserver:stop" prereqs="webserver:init"
     description="Stop a webserver instance if started">
-    <ant:condition property="maven.webserver.startandinstalled">
-      <ant:and>
-        <ant:isset property="maven.webserver.installed"/>
-        <ant:isset property="maven.webserver.started"/>
-      </ant:and>
-    </ant:condition>
 
     <j:choose>
-      <j:when test="${maven.webserver.startedandinstalled}">
+      <j:when test="${maven.webserver.started and maven.webserver.installed}">
         <log:info trim="false">
-Stopping the webserver...
+Stopping the webserver ...
         </log:info>
         <attainGoal name="webserver:stop-${maven.webserver.fullname}" />
       </j:when>
       <j:otherwise>
-        <j:if test="${webserver.goal.clean.called} == null">
+        <j:if test="${webserver.goal.clean.called != 'true'}">
           <log:info trim="false">
 The <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}"/> is already stopped!
           </log:info>
@@ -222,34 +334,31 @@ The <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}"/> is already stopped!
     description="Safely delete an installed webserver instance">
 
      <!-- property to remember what goal the user first called -->
-    <ant:property name="webserver.goal.clean.called" value="true" />
+    <j:set var="webserver.goal.clean.called" value="true" />
 
     <j:if test="${maven.webserver.started}">
-      <log:info>
-        Stopping the <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}" />
-        webserver instance before deleting it...
+      <log:info trim="false">
+Stopping the <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}" /> webserver instance before deleting it ...
       </log:info>
       <attainGoal name="webserver:stop" />
     </j:if>
 
-    <j:if test="${maven.webserver.installed}">
-      <log:info trim="false">
+    <j:choose>
+      <j:when test="${maven.webserver.installed}">
+        <log:info trim="false">
 Deleting the <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}" /> webserver instance ...
-      </log:info>
-
-      <!-- allow webservers to have their own cleanup -->
-      <attainGoal name="webserver:clean-${maven.webserver.fullname}" />
-
-      <!-- by default cleanup the server dir -->
-      <ant:delete dir="${maven.webserver.dir}"/>
-
-    </j:if>
-
-    <j:if test="${maven.webserver.installed} != 'true'">
-      <log:info trim="false">
+        </log:info>
+        <!-- allow webservers to have their own cleanup -->
+        <attainGoal name="webserver:clean-${maven.webserver.fullname}" />
+        <!-- all clean calls should cleanup the server dir -->
+        <ant:delete dir="${maven.webserver.dir}"/>
+      </j:when>
+      <j:otherwise>
+        <log:info trim="false">
 The <j:expr value="${maven.webserver.fullname}"/> webserver instance is already cleaned!
-      </log:info>
-    </j:if>
+        </log:info>
+      </j:otherwise>
+    </j:choose>
 
   </goal>