diff --git a/src-tauri/src/ftp.rs b/src-tauri/src/ftp.rs
index e06a902..9f06537 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/ftp.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/ftp.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ impl Ftp {
             .next()
             .ok_or_else(|| format!("Can't resolve {host}"))?;
         let stream = TcpStream::connect_timeout(&addr, connect_timeout)
-            .map_err(|e| format!("No FTP server at {host}:{port} ({e})"))?;
+            .map_err(|e| {
+                format!("Can't reach the PS5 at {host}:{port} ({e}). Check it's on, jailbroken, and running an FTP server.")
+            })?;
         stream.set_read_timeout(Some(TIMEOUT)).ok();
         stream.set_write_timeout(Some(TIMEOUT)).ok();
         stream.set_nodelay(true).ok();
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 6a862c5..ca6902e 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,16 @@ async fn ps5_status(value: Option<settings::Settings>) -> Result<ps5::Ps5Status,
     blocking(move || ps5::status(&value.unwrap_or_else(settings::load))).await
 }
 
+/// Free space for the folder, or its nearest existing parent (the image folder may not exist yet).
+#[tauri::command]
+fn free_space(path: String) -> Option<u64> {
+    let mut p = PathBuf::from(path);
+    while !p.exists() {
+        p = p.parent()?.to_path_buf();
+    }
+    pipeline::free_space(&p)
+}
+
 #[tauri::command]
 async fn discover_ps5() -> Result<Vec<discover::Found>, String> {
     blocking(discover::discover).await
@@ -152,7 +162,8 @@ pub fn run() {
             remove_job,
             resume_job,
             ps5_status,
-            discover_ps5
+            discover_ps5,
+            free_space
         ])
         .run(tauri::generate_context!())
         .expect("error while running Prospack");
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/pipeline.rs b/src-tauri/src/pipeline.rs
index 9b8cee8..c49d1cd 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/pipeline.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/pipeline.rs
@@ -950,6 +950,11 @@ mod e2e {
         };
         settings::save(&s).unwrap();
 
+        // Wizard checks against the fake PS5: ShadowMountPlus yes, Game Compressor not yet.
+        let st = ps5::status(&s);
+        assert!(st.online && st.shadowmount && !st.game_compressor, "{st:?}");
+        assert!(ps5::status(&Settings { ps5_host: "".into(), ..s.clone() }).error.unwrap().contains("No PS5 address set"));
+
         let engine = Arc::new(Engine::new(&settings::data_dir()));
         let q = Queue::new(Arc::new(|_, _| {}), engine);
         let id = q.add(crate::dump::inspect(&dump).unwrap()).unwrap();
@@ -979,6 +984,7 @@ mod e2e {
         assert_eq!(rec["sourceSize"], local);
         assert_eq!(rec["compressionSourceSize"], j.dump.total_bytes);
         assert!(ps5_root.join("data/GameCompressor/validations/PPSA00001.json").is_file());
+        assert!(ps5::status(&s).game_compressor, "the record created /data/GameCompressor");
         let ml = std::fs::read_to_string(ps5_root.join("data/shadowmount/manual.lst")).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(ml, "/data/homebrew/PPSA00001.ffpfsc\n");
         assert!(dump.join("ampr_emu.index").is_file(), "MkPFS should have generated the AMPR index");
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/ps5.rs b/src-tauri/src/ps5.rs
index fa6bbfe..02454cf 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/ps5.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/ps5.rs
@@ -21,10 +21,15 @@ pub struct Ps5Status {
     pub free_bytes: Option<u64>,
     pub total_bytes: Option<u64>,
     pub shadowmount: bool,
+    /// /data/GameCompressor exists (optional; used for the validated badge).
+    pub game_compressor: bool,
 }
 
 pub fn connect(s: &Settings) -> Result<Ftp, String> {
-    Ftp::connect(&s.ps5_host, s.ftp_port, Duration::from_secs(4))
+    if s.ps5_host.trim().is_empty() {
+        return Err("No PS5 address set. Open Settings → Run setup again, or enter your PS5's IP in Settings.".into());
+    }
+    Ftp::connect(s.ps5_host.trim(), s.ftp_port, Duration::from_secs(4))
 }
 
 /// Read-only check: FTP login + NOOP, ShadowMountPlus config present, and free space from
@@ -35,14 +40,19 @@ pub fn status(s: &Settings) -> Ps5Status {
         Ok(f) => f,
         Err(e) => return Ps5Status { error: Some(e), ..Default::default() },
     };
+    // (connect() already rejects an empty address with a helpful message.)
     if let Err(e) = ftp.noop() {
         return Ps5Status { error: Some(e), ..Default::default() };
     }
     let latency_ms = Some(t0.elapsed().as_millis() as u64);
     let shadowmount = ftp.size(&format!("{SMP_DIR}/config.ini")).ok().flatten().is_some();
+    let game_compressor = ftp
+        .list("/data")
+        .map(|entries| entries.iter().any(|e| e.is_dir && e.name == "GameCompressor"))
+        .unwrap_or(false);
     ftp.quit();
     let (free_bytes, total_bytes) = space(s).unwrap_or((None, None));
-    Ps5Status { online: true, latency_ms, error: None, free_bytes, total_bytes, shadowmount }
+    Ps5Status { online: true, latency_ms, error: None, free_bytes, total_bytes, shadowmount, game_compressor }
 }
 
 /// GET /api/space?path=/data on the PS5 web file manager. Optional; a missing server is fine.