diff --git a/cmd/build.go b/cmd/build.go
index 1617305ff..491799767 100644
--- a/cmd/build.go
+++ b/cmd/build.go
@@ -303,17 +303,13 @@ func (c buildConfig) Prompt() (buildConfig, error) {
 	// value and will always use the value from the config (flag or env variable).
 	// This is not strictly correct and will be fixed when Global Config: Function
 	// Context is available (PR#1416)
-	hasFunc, err := fn.IsFunctionInitialized(c.Path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return c, err
-	}
-	if !hasFunc {
-		return c, fmt.Errorf("no function has been initialized in the current directory. Please initialize a function by running either:\n- func init --language <your language>\n- func create <function name> --language <your_language>")
-	}
 	f, err := fn.NewFunction(c.Path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return c, err
 	}
+	if !f.Initialized() {
+		return c, fmt.Errorf("no function has been initialized in %q. Please initialize a function by running:\n- func init --language <your language>", c.Path)
+	}
 	if (f.Registry == "" && c.Registry == "" && c.Image == "") || c.Confirm {
 		fmt.Println("A registry for function images is required. For example, 'docker.io/tigerteam'.")
 		err := survey.AskOne(
diff --git a/pkg/functions/client.go b/pkg/functions/client.go
index a3b696d5a..254273944 100644
--- a/pkg/functions/client.go
+++ b/pkg/functions/client.go
@@ -1276,9 +1276,6 @@ func isEffectivelyEmpty(path string) (bool, error) {
 	}
 	return true, nil
 }
-func IsFunctionInitialized(path string) (bool, error) {
-	return hasInitializedFunction(path)
-}
 
 // returns true if the given path contains an initialized function.
 func hasInitializedFunction(path string) (bool, error) {