diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index dbf7e82..7aaa06a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@ jobs:
           command: "compose up --dry-run --project-name github-action-test"
 
       - name: Teardown
-        run: defang config rm DEFANG_GH_ACTION_TEST_MESSAGE
+        run: defang config rm --project-name github-action-test DEFANG_GH_ACTION_TEST_MESSAGE
diff --git a/action.yaml b/action.yaml
index ecfb0ef..c653d23 100644
--- a/action.yaml
+++ b/action.yaml
@@ -77,6 +77,24 @@ runs:
             params+=("-f")
             params+=("$filename")
         done
+        empty=()
+        for source in $CONFIG_ENV_VARS; do
+          if [ -z "${!source}" ]; then
+            empty+=("$source")
+          fi
+        done
+
+        # if there are any empty variables, print instructions on how to update
+        # the github environment variables
+        if [ ${#empty[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+          echo "Some Defang config vars do not have values. To use Github Secrets, add"
+          echo "these variables to your environment secrets:"
+          for source in "${empty[@]}"; do
+            echo "- $source"
+          done
+          echo "Here is a link to your repository environments settings:"
+          echo "https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/settings/environments"
+        fi
         for source in $CONFIG_ENV_VARS; do
           echo "Updating $source"
           echo defang config "${params[@]}" set -e $source