diff --git a/ui/docs/how-to-docfy.md b/ui/docs/how-to-docfy.md
index 644cfed706..50871acf8c 100644
--- a/ui/docs/how-to-docfy.md
+++ b/ui/docs/how-to-docfy.md
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ Side nav links correspond to the file + directory structure within the `docs/` d
 
 ## generating component docs
 
-The `docs/components` directory is where _generated_ markdown files for components live after running `yarn docs`. **Do not edit component markdown files directly**. Instead, update markdown by making changes to the `jsdoc` and then re-running the generate command. The `docs/components/*` files are included in `.gitignore` so they are not pushed to main. `jsdoc-to-markdown` errors log in the console.
+The `docs/components` directory is where _generated_ component markdown files are located after running `yarn docs`. **Do not edit component markdown files directly**. Instead, update markdown by making changes to the `jsdoc` and then re-running the generate command. The `docs/components/*` files are included in `.gitignore` so they are not pushed to main. `jsdoc-to-markdown` errors log in the console.
+
+> _If you have never run the `yarn docs` command before, you need to create the `docs/components` directory locally before running `yarn docfy-md` so the markdown has a place to go. `mkdir docs/components`_
 
 ```
 yarn docfy-md <component name> <addon or engine> <full filepath>
@@ -24,9 +26,10 @@ yarn docfy-md <component name> <addon or engine> <full filepath>
 | Command                                                                   | Description                                                                                  |
 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `yarn docs`                                                               | generate markdown file for every\* component in the `addon/core` directory                   |
-| `yarn docfy-md some-component-name`                                       | generate markdown file for specific component                                                |
+| `yarn docfy-md some-component-name`                                       | generate markdown file for **specific** component                                            |
 | `yarn docfy-md read-more core`                                            | generate markdown for `read-more` component in the `core` addon                              |
 | `yarn docfy-md pki-test null ./lib/pki/addon/components/pki-key-usage.ts` | optional third arg is the full component filepath (first arg will become markdown file name) |
+| `mkdir docs/components`                                                   | create directory where the generated component markdown files will go                        |
 | `rm -f ./docs/components/*`                                               | cleanup and delete generated component markdown files                                        |
 
 > _\*replication and `shamir/*` components are skipped as these are not reused and should eventually be moved outside the `addon/core` directory_
diff --git a/ui/package.json b/ui/package.json
index 35c1619db5..0377d0a7b6 100644
--- a/ui/package.json
+++ b/ui/package.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "test": "concurrently --kill-others-on-fail -P -c \"auto\" -n lint:js,lint:hbs,vault \"yarn:lint:js:quiet\" \"yarn:lint:hbs:quiet\" \"node scripts/start-vault.js {@}\" --",
     "test:enos": "concurrently --kill-others-on-fail -P -c \"auto\" -n lint:js,lint:hbs,enos \"yarn:lint:js:quiet\" \"yarn:lint:hbs:quiet\" \"node scripts/enos-test-ember.js {@}\" --",
     "test:oss": "yarn run test -f='!enterprise' --split=8 --preserve-test-name --parallel",
+    "test:ent": "node scripts/start-vault.js -f='enterprise'",
     "test:quick": "node scripts/start-vault.js --split=8 --preserve-test-name --parallel",
     "test:quick-oss": "node scripts/start-vault.js -f='!enterprise' --split=8 --preserve-test-name --parallel",
     "test:filter": "node scripts/start-vault.js --server -f='!enterprise'",
diff --git a/ui/scripts/docfy-md.js b/ui/scripts/docfy-md.js
index a3f126cd6c..35758f6a11 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/docfy-md.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/docfy-md.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ yarn docfy-md some-component
 
 or if the docs are for a component in an in-repo-addon or an engine:
 yarn docfy-md some-component name-of-engine
+
+see the readme ui/docs/how-to-docfy.md for more info
 */
 
 const fs = require('fs');
diff --git a/ui/scripts/generate-docs.sh b/ui/scripts/generate-docs.sh
index d1be67c3df..268a9ad9e0 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/generate-docs.sh
+++ b/ui/scripts/generate-docs.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 # Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
 
+echo "Create components/ directory"
+mkdir docs/components/ 
+
 echo "Generating markdown files for components in core addon..." 
 
 # iterate over every .ts and .js file in core/addon/components (including nested files)