diff --git a/.husky/pre-commit b/.husky/pre-commit
index 4fa0541919..0d418d1aac 100755
--- a/.husky/pre-commit
+++ b/.husky/pre-commit
@@ -1,14 +1,71 @@
-G='\033[0;32m'
-P='\033[0;35m'
-R='\033[0;31m'
-CLEAN='\033[0;0m'
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
 
-pnpm check:mdx || (echo -e "${G}Hint:${CLEAN} execute ${P}pnpm format:mdx${CLEAN} to format files" && exit 1)
+fail() {
+  printf '%s\n' "$1"
+  exit 1
+}
+
+REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel) ||
+  fail "✖ Could not determine the repository root."
+
+cd "$REPO_ROOT" ||
+  fail "✖ Could not enter the repository root."
+
+REQUIRED_NODE_MAJOR=$(sed 's/^v//; s/\..*$//' .nvmrc) ||
+  fail "✖ Could not determine the required Node version from .nvmrc."
+
+SETUP_URL="https://github.com/stellar/stellar-docs#prerequisites"
+
+if ! command -v node >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  fail "✖ Node v${REQUIRED_NODE_MAJOR}+ was not found.
+Install the required Node version, then run:
+  corepack pnpm install
+Setup instructions: ${SETUP_URL}"
+fi
+
+NODE_MAJOR=$(node -p 'process.versions.node.split(".")[0]' 2>/dev/null) ||
+  fail "✖ Node is present but could not be executed."
+
+if [ "$NODE_MAJOR" -lt "$REQUIRED_NODE_MAJOR" ]; then
+  fail "✖ Node v${REQUIRED_NODE_MAJOR}+ is required, but $(node -v) is active.
+Activate the Node version listed in .nvmrc and try again.
+Setup instructions: ${SETUP_URL}"
+fi
+
+PRETTIER="node_modules/prettier/bin/prettier.cjs"
+
+if [ ! -f "$PRETTIER" ]; then
+  fail "✖ Project dependencies are not installed.
+Run:
+  corepack pnpm install
+Setup instructions: ${SETUP_URL}"
+fi
+
+if ! node "$PRETTIER" --version >/dev/null; then
+  fail "✖ Prettier could not run successfully.
+The project dependencies may be incomplete or corrupted. Run:
+  corepack pnpm install
+Setup instructions: ${SETUP_URL}"
+fi
+
+corepack pnpm check:mdx
+CHECK_STATUS=$?
+
+if [ "$CHECK_STATUS" -eq 1 ]; then
+  printf '%s\n' 'ℹ Run `pnpm format:mdx` to fix the formatting.'
+  printf '%s\n' '  If that also fails, your dependencies may be out of sync: `corepack pnpm install`'
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ "$CHECK_STATUS" -ne 0 ]; then
+  fail "✖ The formatting check could not run successfully.
+The project dependencies may be incomplete or corrupted. Run:
+  corepack pnpm install
+Setup instructions: ${SETUP_URL}"
+fi
 
 # No new absolute internal /docs links in staged docs. Canonical rule lives in
 # scripts/check-relative-links.sh (shared with CI) — only flags links introduced
 # in staged changes, never pre-existing content in untouched lines.
-scripts/check-relative-links.sh --staged || {
-  echo -e "${R}Error:${CLEAN} absolute /docs link(s) found above. Use a relative ${P}../path/file.mdx${CLEAN} link with the .mdx extension instead."
-  exit 1
-}
+scripts/check-relative-links.sh --staged ||
+  fail "✖ Absolute /docs link check failed. Use a relative ../path/file.mdx link with the .mdx extension instead."