diff --git a/src/borg/archiver.py b/src/borg/archiver.py
index 7a3642011..bc03a7f39 100644
--- a/src/borg/archiver.py
+++ b/src/borg/archiver.py
@@ -1231,22 +1231,24 @@ def _delete_repository(self, args, repository):
 
     def do_mount(self, args):
         """Mount archive or an entire repository as a FUSE filesystem"""
+        # Perform these checks before opening the repository and asking for a passphrase.
+
         try:
             import borg.fuse
         except ImportError as e:
             self.print_error('borg mount not available: loading fuse support failed [ImportError: %s]' % str(e))
             return self.exit_code
 
+        if not os.path.isdir(args.mountpoint) or not os.access(args.mountpoint, os.R_OK | os.W_OK | os.X_OK):
+            self.print_error('%s: Mountpoint must be a writable directory' % args.mountpoint)
+            return self.exit_code
+
         return self._do_mount(args)
 
     @with_repository()
     def _do_mount(self, args, repository, manifest, key):
         from .fuse import FuseOperations
 
-        if not os.path.isdir(args.mountpoint) or not os.access(args.mountpoint, os.R_OK | os.W_OK | os.X_OK):
-            self.print_error('%s: Mountpoint must be a writable directory' % args.mountpoint)
-            return self.exit_code
-
         with cache_if_remote(repository) as cached_repo:
             operations = FuseOperations(key, repository, manifest, args, cached_repo)
             logger.info("Mounting filesystem")