diff --git a/src/apis/gpt.py b/src/apis/gpt.py
index 184f970..b687aa3 100644
--- a/src/apis/gpt.py
+++ b/src/apis/gpt.py
@@ -19,11 +19,21 @@ from src.options.generate.templates_system import template_system_message_base,
 from src.utils.string_tools import print_colored
 
 
+def configure_openai_api_key():
+    if 'OPENAI_API_KEY' not in os.environ:
+        print_colored('You need to set OPENAI_API_KEY in your environment.', '''
+Run:
+gptdeploy configure --key <your_openai_api_key>
+
+If you have updated it already, please restart your terminal.
+''', 'red')
+        exit(1)
+    openai.api_key = os.environ['OPENAI_API_KEY']
+
 class GPTSession:
     def __init__(self, task_description, test_description, model: str = 'gpt-4', ):
         self.task_description = task_description
         self.test_description = test_description
-        self.configure_openai_api_key()
         if model == 'gpt-4' and self.is_gpt4_available():
             self.pricing_prompt = PRICING_GPT4_PROMPT
             self.pricing_generation = PRICING_GPT4_GENERATION
@@ -42,15 +52,7 @@ class GPTSession:
             self.model_name, self.cost_callback, self.task_description, self.test_description, system_definition_examples
         )
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def configure_openai_api_key():
-        if 'OPENAI_API_KEY' not in os.environ:
-            raise Exception('''
-You need to set OPENAI_API_KEY in your environment.
-If you have updated it already, please restart your terminal.
-'''
-)
-        openai.api_key = os.environ['OPENAI_API_KEY']
+
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_gpt4_available():
diff --git a/src/apis/jina_cloud.py b/src/apis/jina_cloud.py
index 92e3878..88cef63 100644
--- a/src/apis/jina_cloud.py
+++ b/src/apis/jina_cloud.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ from hubble.executor.helper import upload_file, archive_package, get_request_hea
 from jcloud.flow import CloudFlow
 from jina import Flow
 
+from src.apis.gpt import configure_openai_api_key
 from src.constants import DEMO_TOKEN
 from src.utils.io import suppress_stdout, is_docker_running
 from src.utils.string_tools import print_colored
diff --git a/src/cli.py b/src/cli.py
index 4a2bb0b..40ef4ef 100644
--- a/src/cli.py
+++ b/src/cli.py
@@ -3,9 +3,15 @@ import os
 
 import click
 
+from src.apis.gpt import configure_openai_api_key
 from src.apis.jina_cloud import jina_auth_login
 from src.options.configure.key_handling import set_api_key
 
+def openai_api_key_needed(func):
+    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+        configure_openai_api_key()
+        return func(*args, **kwargs)
+    return wrapper
 
 def exception_interceptor(func):
     @functools.wraps(func)
@@ -41,6 +47,7 @@ def main(ctx):
         click.echo(ctx.get_help())
 
 
+@openai_api_key_needed
 @main.command()
 @click.option('--description', required=True, help='Description of the microservice.')
 @click.option('--test', required=True, help='Test scenario for the microservice.')
@@ -66,7 +73,7 @@ def generate(
     generator = Generator(description, test, model=model)
     generator.generate(path)
 
-
+@openai_api_key_needed
 @main.command()
 @path_param
 def run(path):
@@ -75,7 +82,7 @@ def run(path):
     path = os.path.abspath(path)
     Runner().run(path)
 
-
+@openai_api_key_needed
 @main.command()
 @path_param
 def deploy(path):