diff --git a/cmd/deploy.go b/cmd/deploy.go
index 42cb032140..00098ee002 100644
--- a/cmd/deploy.go
+++ b/cmd/deploy.go
@@ -236,6 +236,58 @@ EXAMPLES
 	return cmd
 }
 
+// wrapInvalidKubeconfigError returns a user-friendly error for invalid kubeconfig paths
+func wrapInvalidKubeconfigError(err error) error {
+	kubeconfigPath := os.Getenv("KUBECONFIG")
+	if kubeconfigPath == "" {
+		kubeconfigPath = "~/.kube/config (default)"
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Errorf(`%w
+
+The kubeconfig file at '%s' does not exist or is not accessible.
+
+Try this:
+  export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/config           Use default kubeconfig
+  kubectl config view                        Verify current config
+  ls -la ~/.kube/config                      Check if config file exists
+
+For more options, run 'func deploy --help'`, fn.ErrInvalidKubeconfig, kubeconfigPath)
+}
+
+// wrapClusterNotAccessibleError returns a user-friendly error for cluster connection failures
+func wrapClusterNotAccessibleError(err error) error {
+	errMsg := err.Error()
+
+	// Case 1: Empty/no cluster configuration in kubeconfig
+	if strings.Contains(errMsg, "no configuration has been provided") ||
+		strings.Contains(errMsg, "invalid configuration") {
+		return fmt.Errorf(`%w
+
+Cannot connect to Kubernetes cluster. No valid cluster configuration found.
+
+Try this:
+  minikube start                             Start Minikube cluster
+  kind create cluster                        Start Kind cluster
+  kubectl cluster-info                       Verify cluster is running
+  kubectl config get-contexts                List available contexts
+
+For more options, run 'func deploy --help'`, fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible)
+	}
+
+	// Case 2: Cluster is down, network issues, auth errors, etc
+	return fmt.Errorf(`%w
+
+Cannot connect to Kubernetes cluster.
+
+Try this:
+  kubectl cluster-info                       Verify cluster is accessible
+  minikube status                            Check Minikube cluster status
+  kubectl get nodes                          Test cluster connection
+
+For more options, run 'func deploy --help'`, fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible)
+}
+
 func runDeploy(cmd *cobra.Command, newClient ClientFactory) (err error) {
 	var (
 		cfg deployConfig
@@ -354,6 +406,12 @@ For more options, run 'func deploy --help'`, err)
 		// Returned is the function with fields like Registry, f.Deploy.Image &
 		// f.Deploy.Namespace populated.
 		if url, f, err = client.RunPipeline(cmd.Context(), f); err != nil {
+			if errors.Is(err, fn.ErrInvalidKubeconfig) {
+				return wrapInvalidKubeconfigError(err)
+			}
+			if errors.Is(err, fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible) {
+				return wrapClusterNotAccessibleError(err)
+			}
 			return
 		}
 		fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Function Deployed at %v\n", url)
@@ -405,6 +463,12 @@ For more options, run 'func deploy --help'`, err)
 			}
 		}
 		if f, err = client.Deploy(cmd.Context(), f, fn.WithDeploySkipBuildCheck(cfg.Build == "false")); err != nil {
+			if errors.Is(err, fn.ErrInvalidKubeconfig) {
+				return wrapInvalidKubeconfigError(err)
+			}
+			if errors.Is(err, fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible) {
+				return wrapClusterNotAccessibleError(err)
+			}
 			return
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/functions/errors.go b/pkg/functions/errors.go
index a4b908840c..6bf76ee1e6 100644
--- a/pkg/functions/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/functions/errors.go
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ var (
 
 	// ErrConflictingImageAndRegistry is returned when both --image and --registry flags are explicitly provided
 	ErrConflictingImageAndRegistry = errors.New("both --image and --registry flags provided")
+
+	// ErrInvalidKubeconfig is returned when the kubeconfig file path is invalid or inaccessible
+	ErrInvalidKubeconfig = errors.New("invalid kubeconfig")
+
+	// ErrClusterNotAccessible is returned when cluster connection fails (network, auth, etc)
+	ErrClusterNotAccessible = errors.New("cluster not accessible")
 )
 
 // ErrNotInitialized indicates that a function is uninitialized
diff --git a/pkg/knative/client.go b/pkg/knative/client.go
index 3abc594188..5a623cc2b0 100644
--- a/pkg/knative/client.go
+++ b/pkg/knative/client.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package knative
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	clienteventingv1 "knative.dev/client/pkg/eventing/v1"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	eventingv1 "knative.dev/eventing/pkg/client/clientset/versioned/typed/eventing/v1"
 	servingv1 "knative.dev/serving/pkg/client/clientset/versioned/typed/serving/v1"
 
+	fn "knative.dev/func/pkg/functions"
 	"knative.dev/func/pkg/k8s"
 )
 
@@ -18,6 +20,9 @@ const (
 )
 
 func NewServingClient(namespace string) (clientservingv1.KnServingClient, error) {
+	if err := validateKubeconfigFile(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	restConfig, err := k8s.GetClientConfig().ClientConfig()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -35,6 +40,9 @@ func NewServingClient(namespace string) (clientservingv1.KnServingClient, error)
 }
 
 func NewEventingClient(namespace string) (clienteventingv1.KnEventingClient, error) {
+	if err := validateKubeconfigFile(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	restConfig, err := k8s.GetClientConfig().ClientConfig()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -50,3 +58,17 @@ func NewEventingClient(namespace string) (clienteventingv1.KnEventingClient, err
 
 	return client, nil
 }
+
+// validateKubeconfigFile checks if explicitly set KUBECONFIG path exists
+func validateKubeconfigFile() error {
+	kubeconfigPath := os.Getenv("KUBECONFIG")
+	if kubeconfigPath == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(kubeconfigPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: kubeconfig file does not exist at path: %s", fn.ErrInvalidKubeconfig, kubeconfigPath)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/knative/deployer.go b/pkg/knative/deployer.go
index f082c1f4b6..e2f74be641 100644
--- a/pkg/knative/deployer.go
+++ b/pkg/knative/deployer.go
@@ -157,17 +157,17 @@ func (d *Deployer) Deploy(ctx context.Context, f fn.Function) (fn.DeploymentResu
 	// Clients
 	client, err := NewServingClient(namespace)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, err
+		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, wrapDeployerClientError(err)
 	}
 	eventingClient, err := NewEventingClient(namespace)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, err
+		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, wrapDeployerClientError(err)
 	}
 	// check if 'dapr-system' namespace exists
 	daprInstalled := false
 	k8sClient, err := k8s.NewKubernetesClientset()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, err
+		return fn.DeploymentResult{}, wrapDeployerClientError(err)
 	}
 	_, err = k8sClient.CoreV1().Namespaces().Get(ctx, "dapr-system", metav1.GetOptions{})
 	if err == nil {
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ func (d *Deployer) Deploy(ctx context.Context, f fn.Function) (fn.DeploymentResu
 
 	previousService, err := client.GetService(ctx, f.Name)
 	if err != nil {
+		if wrappedErr := wrapK8sConnectionError(err); wrappedErr != nil {
+			return fn.DeploymentResult{}, wrappedErr
+		}
 		if errors.IsNotFound(err) {
 
 			referencedSecrets := sets.New[string]()
@@ -1118,3 +1121,44 @@ func setServiceOptions(template *v1.RevisionTemplateSpec, options fn.Options) er
 
 	return servingclientlib.UpdateRevisionTemplateAnnotations(template, toUpdate, toRemove)
 }
+
+// wrapDeployerClientError wraps Kubernetes client creation errors with typed errors
+func wrapDeployerClientError(err error) error {
+	if err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	errMsg := err.Error()
+
+	// Missing kubeconfig file
+	if strings.Contains(errMsg, "kubeconfig file does not exist at path") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", fn.ErrInvalidKubeconfig, err)
+	}
+
+	// Empty config or cluster not accessible
+	if strings.Contains(errMsg, "no configuration has been provided") ||
+		strings.Contains(errMsg, "invalid configuration") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible, err)
+	}
+
+	return err
+}
+
+// wrapK8sConnectionError wraps connection errors during API calls
+func wrapK8sConnectionError(err error) error {
+	if err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	errMsg := err.Error()
+
+	// Connection errors (refused, timeout, certificate issues)
+	if strings.Contains(errMsg, "connection refused") ||
+		strings.Contains(errMsg, "dial tcp") ||
+		strings.Contains(errMsg, "i/o timeout") ||
+		strings.Contains(errMsg, "x509:") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", fn.ErrClusterNotAccessible, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}