diff --git a/lib/ember_cli/path_set.rb b/lib/ember_cli/path_set.rb
index b82f40e3..0ff4a8c4 100644
--- a/lib/ember_cli/path_set.rb
+++ b/lib/ember_cli/path_set.rb
@@ -63,16 +63,15 @@ def build_error_file
 
     def bower
       @bower ||= begin
-        bower_path = app_options.fetch(:bower_path) { which("bower") }
-
-        bower_path.tap do |path|
-          unless Pathname.new(path.to_s).executable?
+        path_for_executable("bower").tap do |bower_path|
+          if bower_path.blank? || !bower_path.executable?
             fail DependencyError.new <<-MSG.strip_heredoc
-            Bower is required by EmberCLI
+                Bower is required by EmberCLI
+
+                Install it with:
 
-            Install it with:
+                    $ npm install -g bower
 
-                $ npm install -g bower
             MSG
           end
         end
@@ -84,12 +83,12 @@ def bower_components
     end
 
     def npm
-      @npm ||= app_options.fetch(:npm_path) { which("npm") }
+      @npm ||= path_for_executable("npm")
     end
 
     def yarn
       if yarn?
-        @yarn ||= app_options.fetch(:yarn_path) { which("yarn") }
+        @yarn ||= path_for_executable("yarn")
       end
     end
 
@@ -98,17 +97,25 @@ def node_modules
     end
 
     def tee
-      @tee ||= app_options.fetch(:tee_path) { which("tee") }
+      @tee ||= path_for_executable("tee")
     end
 
     def bundler
-      @bundler ||= app_options.fetch(:bundler_path) { which("bundler") }
+      @bundler ||= path_for_executable("bundler")
     end
 
     private
 
     attr_reader :app, :ember_cli_root, :environment, :rails_root
 
+    def path_for_executable(command)
+      path = app_options.fetch("#{command}_path") { which(command) }
+
+      if path.present?
+        Pathname.new(path)
+      end
+    end
+
     def package_manager
       if yarn?
         "yarn"
@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ def app_name
     end
 
     def app_options
-      app.options
+      app.options.with_indifferent_access
     end
 
     def which(executable)
diff --git a/spec/lib/ember_cli/path_set_spec.rb b/spec/lib/ember_cli/path_set_spec.rb
index 7bc2bcd2..5c0d98fa 100644
--- a/spec/lib/ember_cli/path_set_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/ember_cli/path_set_spec.rb
@@ -81,12 +81,13 @@
   describe "#ember" do
     it "is an executable child of #node_modules" do
       app = build_app
+      path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
       ember_path = rails_root.join(app.name, "node_modules", "ember-cli", "bin", "ember")
       create_executable(ember_path)
 
-      path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
+      ember = path_set.ember
 
-      expect(path_set.ember).to eq ember_path
+      expect(ember).to eq(ember_path).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "raises a DependencyError if the file isn't executable" do
@@ -99,20 +100,22 @@
   describe "#bower" do
     it "can be overridden" do
       fake_bower = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("bower"))
-      app = build_app(options: { bower_path: fake_bower })
-
+      app = build_app(options: { bower_path: fake_bower.to_s })
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.bower).to eq fake_bower
+      bower = path_set.bower
+
+      expect(bower).to eq(fake_bower).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "can be inferred from the $PATH" do
       fake_bower = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("bower"))
-      stub_which(bower: fake_bower)
-
+      stub_which(bower: fake_bower.to_s)
       path_set = build_path_set
 
-      expect(path_set.bower).to eq fake_bower
+      bower = path_set.bower
+
+      expect(bower).to eq(fake_bower).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     context "when it is missing from the $PATH" do
@@ -140,19 +143,23 @@
 
   describe "#npm" do
     it "can be overridden" do
-      app = build_app(options: { npm_path: "npm-path" })
-
+      fake_npm = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("npm"))
+      app = build_app(options: { npm_path: fake_npm.to_s })
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.npm).to eq "npm-path"
+      npm = path_set.npm
+
+      expect(npm).to eq(fake_npm).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "can be inferred from the $PATH" do
-      stub_which(npm: "npm-path")
-
+      fake_npm = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("npm"))
+      stub_which(npm: fake_npm.to_s)
       path_set = build_path_set
 
-      expect(path_set.npm).to eq "npm-path"
+      npm = path_set.npm
+
+      expect(npm).to eq(fake_npm).and(be_executable)
     end
   end
 
@@ -164,21 +171,24 @@
     end
 
     it "can be overridden" do
-      app = build_app(options: { yarn_path: "yarn-path" })
-
+      fake_yarn = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("yarn"))
+      app = build_app(options: { yarn_path: fake_yarn.to_s })
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.yarn).to eq "yarn-path"
+      yarn = path_set.yarn
+
+      expect(yarn).to eq(fake_yarn).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "can be inferred from the $PATH" do
-      stub_which(yarn: "yarn-path")
-
+      fake_yarn = create_executable(ember_cli_root.join("yarn"))
+      stub_which(yarn: fake_yarn.to_s)
       app = build_app(options: { yarn: true })
-
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.yarn).to eq "yarn-path"
+      yarn = path_set.yarn
+
+      expect(yarn).to eq(fake_yarn).and(be_executable)
     end
   end
 
@@ -194,37 +204,45 @@
 
   describe "#tee" do
     it "can be overridden" do
-      app = build_app(options: { tee_path: "tee-path" })
-
+      fake_tee = create_executable(rails_root.join("tee"))
+      app = build_app(options: { tee_path: fake_tee.to_s })
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.tee).to eq "tee-path"
+      tee = path_set.tee
+
+      expect(tee).to eq(fake_tee).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "can be inferred from the $PATH" do
-      stub_which(tee: "tee-path")
-
+      fake_tee = create_executable(rails_root.join("tee"))
+      stub_which(tee: fake_tee.to_s)
       path_set = build_path_set
 
-      expect(path_set.tee).to eq "tee-path"
+      tee = path_set.tee
+
+      expect(tee).to eq(fake_tee).and(be_executable)
     end
   end
 
   describe "#bundler" do
     it "can be overridden" do
-      app = build_app(options: { bundler_path: "bundler-path" })
-
+      fake_bundler = create_executable(rails_root.join("bundler"))
+      app = build_app(options: { bundler_path: fake_bundler.to_s })
       path_set = build_path_set(app: app)
 
-      expect(path_set.bundler).to eq "bundler-path"
+      bundler = path_set.bundler
+
+      expect(bundler).to eq(fake_bundler).and(be_executable)
     end
 
     it "can be inferred from the $PATH" do
-      stub_which(bundler: "bundler-path")
-
+      fake_bundler = create_executable(rails_root.join("bundler"))
+      stub_which(bundler: fake_bundler.to_s)
       path_set = build_path_set
 
-      expect(path_set.bundler).to eq "bundler-path"
+      bundler = path_set.bundler
+
+      expect(bundler).to eq(fake_bundler).and(be_executable)
     end
   end