diff --git a/pkg/cli/alpha/config-gen/cmd.go b/pkg/cli/alpha/config-gen/cmd.go
index cda0696024f..bb280cda289 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/alpha/config-gen/cmd.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/alpha/config-gen/cmd.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package configgen
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -41,8 +42,7 @@ func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	legacyPlugin := os.Getenv("KUSTOMIZE_PLUGIN_CONFIG_STRING")
 	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(legacyPlugin), kp)
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err.Error())
-		return nil
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	// Eager check to make sure pkged templates are found.
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		// this shouldn't fail if it was compiled correctly
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err.Error())
-		return nil
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	c := framework.TemplateCommand{
@@ -252,32 +251,34 @@ EOF
 kustomize build --enable-alpha-plugins .
 `)
 
-	dir, dirErr := getPluginDir()
-	pluginFile := filepath.Join(dir, "KubebuilderConfigGen")
-
 	// command for installing the plugin
 	install := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "install-as-plugin",
 		Short: "Install config-gen as a kustomize plugin",
-		Long: strings.TrimSpace(fmt.Sprintf(`
-Write a script to %s for kustomize to locate as a plugin.
-`, pluginFile)),
-		Example: strings.TrimSpace(`
+		Long: fmt.Sprintf(`Write a script to %s for kustomize to locate as a plugin.
+This path will be written to $XDG_CONFIG_HOME if set, otherwise $HOME.
+`, pluginScriptPath),
+		Example: `
 kubebuilder alpha config-gen install-as-plugin
-`),
+`,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			if dirErr != nil {
-				return dirErr
+			hd, err := getPluginHomeDir()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
 			}
-			fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "writing kustomize plugin file at %s\n", pluginFile)
+			fullScriptPath := filepath.Join(hd, pluginScriptPath)
+
+			fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "writing kustomize plugin file at %s\n", fullScriptPath)
+
+			dir, _ := filepath.Split(fullScriptPath)
 			err = os.MkdirAll(dir, 0700)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			return ioutil.WriteFile(pluginFile, []byte(`#!/bin/bash 
+			return ioutil.WriteFile(fullScriptPath, []byte(`#!/bin/bash
 KUSTOMIZE_FUNCTION=true kubebuilder alpha config-gen
-`), 0500)
+`), 0700)
 		},
 	}
 	c.AddCommand(install)
@@ -285,7 +286,13 @@ KUSTOMIZE_FUNCTION=true kubebuilder alpha config-gen
 	return c
 }
 
-func getPluginDir() (string, error) {
+var (
+	// Qualified directory containing the config-gen plugin script. Child of plugin home dir.
+	pluginScriptPath = filepath.Join("kustomize", "plugin", "kubebuilder.sigs.k8s.io", "v1alpha1",
+		"kubebuilderconfiggen", "KubebuilderConfigGen")
+)
+
+func getPluginHomeDir() (string, error) {
 	xdg := os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME")
 	if xdg == "" {
 		dir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
@@ -294,6 +301,5 @@ func getPluginDir() (string, error) {
 		}
 		xdg = filepath.Join(dir, ".config")
 	}
-	dir := filepath.Join(xdg, "kustomize", "plugin", "kubebuilder.sigs.k8s.io", "v1alpha1", "kubebuilderconfiggen")
-	return dir, nil
+	return xdg, nil
 }