diff --git a/codeflash/cli_cmds/cmd_init.py b/codeflash/cli_cmds/cmd_init.py
index 93d713402..6804ccc86 100644
--- a/codeflash/cli_cmds/cmd_init.py
+++ b/codeflash/cli_cmds/cmd_init.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 from codeflash.cli_cmds.console import console, logger
 from codeflash.code_utils.compat import LF
 from codeflash.code_utils.config_parser import parse_config_file
-from codeflash.code_utils.env_utils import get_codeflash_api_key
+from codeflash.code_utils.env_utils import check_formatter_installed, get_codeflash_api_key
 from codeflash.code_utils.git_utils import get_git_remotes, get_repo_owner_and_name
 from codeflash.code_utils.github_utils import get_github_secrets_page_url
 from codeflash.code_utils.shell_utils import get_shell_rc_path, save_api_key_to_rc
@@ -720,11 +720,7 @@ def configure_pyproject_toml(setup_info: SetupInfo) -> None:
         )
     elif formatter == "don't use a formatter":
         formatter_cmds.append("disabled")
-    if formatter in ["black", "ruff"]:
-        try:
-            subprocess.run([formatter], capture_output=True, check=False)
-        except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
-            click.echo(f"⚠️ Formatter not found: {formatter}, please ensure it is installed")
+    check_formatter_installed(formatter_cmds)
     codeflash_section["formatter-cmds"] = formatter_cmds
     # Add the 'codeflash' section, ensuring 'tool' section exists
     tool_section = pyproject_data.get("tool", tomlkit.table())
@@ -924,6 +920,14 @@ def test_sort():
 
 
 def run_end_to_end_test(args: Namespace, bubble_sort_path: str, bubble_sort_test_path: str) -> None:
+    try:
+        check_formatter_installed(args.formatter_cmds)
+    except Exception:
+        logger.error(
+            "Formatter not found. Review the formatter_cmds in your pyproject.toml file and make sure the formatter is installed."
+        )
+        return
+
     command = ["codeflash", "--file", "bubble_sort.py", "--function", "sorter"]
     if args.no_pr:
         command.append("--no-pr")
diff --git a/codeflash/code_utils/env_utils.py b/codeflash/code_utils/env_utils.py
index 41ef89351..ee18cfa00 100644
--- a/codeflash/code_utils/env_utils.py
+++ b/codeflash/code_utils/env_utils.py
@@ -1,13 +1,52 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
+import shlex
+import subprocess
+import tempfile
 from functools import lru_cache
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
 from codeflash.cli_cmds.console import logger
 from codeflash.code_utils.shell_utils import read_api_key_from_shell_config
 
 
+class FormatterNotFoundError(Exception):
+    """Exception raised when a formatter is not found."""
+
+    def __init__(self, formatter_cmd: str) -> None:
+        super().__init__(f"Formatter command not found: {formatter_cmd}")
+
+
+def check_formatter_installed(formatter_cmds: list[str]) -> bool:
+    return_code = True
+    if formatter_cmds[0] == "disabled":
+        return return_code
+    tmp_code = """print("hello world")"""
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", encoding="utf-8", suffix=".py") as f:
+        f.write(tmp_code)
+        f.flush()
+        tmp_file = Path(f.name)
+        file_token = "$file"  # noqa: S105
+        for command in set(formatter_cmds):
+            formatter_cmd_list = shlex.split(command, posix=os.name != "nt")
+            formatter_cmd_list = [tmp_file.as_posix() if chunk == file_token else chunk for chunk in formatter_cmd_list]
+            try:
+                result = subprocess.run(formatter_cmd_list, capture_output=True, check=False)
+            except (FileNotFoundError, NotADirectoryError):
+                return_code = False
+                break
+            if result.returncode:
+                return_code = False
+                break
+    tmp_file.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+    if not return_code:
+        msg = f"Error running formatter command: {command}"
+        raise FormatterNotFoundError(msg)
+    return return_code
+
+
 @lru_cache(maxsize=1)
 def get_codeflash_api_key() -> str:
     api_key = os.environ.get("CODEFLASH_API_KEY") or read_api_key_from_shell_config()
diff --git a/codeflash/optimization/optimizer.py b/codeflash/optimization/optimizer.py
index ae8ece469..90c088ec6 100644
--- a/codeflash/optimization/optimizer.py
+++ b/codeflash/optimization/optimizer.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ def run(self) -> None:
         console.rule()
         if not env_utils.ensure_codeflash_api_key():
             return
+        if not env_utils.check_formatter_installed(self.args.formatter_cmds):
+            return
         function_optimizer = None
         file_to_funcs_to_optimize: dict[Path, list[FunctionToOptimize]]
         num_optimizable_functions: int