diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 16aa3b4..fa8a0c6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Zowe zDevOps Jenkins plugin
 
-## About  the plugin
+## About the plugin
 The Zowe zDevOps Jenkins Plugin by [IBA Group](https://ibagroupit.com/?utm_campaign=IBA_W-Mainframe&utm_source=jenkins&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=description_zdevops) is an open-source, secure , and reliable agent-less Jenkins plugin that makes it possible to perform most of the actual tasks on the mainframe, managing it with a modern native mainframe zOSMF REST API and the capabilities of available zOSMF SDKs.
 
 ## Advantages
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index f507f17..2a9f4d9 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>4.78</version>
+        <version>4.78</version> <!-- See https://github.com/jenkinsci/plugin-pom/releases for available versions-->
         <relativePath />
     </parent>
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 
     <properties>
-        <revision>0.2.0-</revision>
+        <revision>0.2.0</revision>
         <changelist>-SNAPSHOT</changelist>
         <jenkins.version>2.414.3</jenkins.version>
         <java.version>17</java.version>
@@ -375,22 +375,12 @@
             <version>2.10.1</version>
         </dependency>
 
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins</groupId>
-            <artifactId>script-security</artifactId>
-        </dependency>
-
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
             <artifactId>commons-lang3</artifactId>
             <version>3.12.0</version>
         </dependency>
 
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci</groupId>
-            <artifactId>annotation-indexer</artifactId>
-        </dependency>
-
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.squareup.okhttp3</groupId>
             <artifactId>okhttp</artifactId>
@@ -439,6 +429,28 @@
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
 
+        <!-- Jenkins plug-ins -->
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci</groupId>
+            <artifactId>annotation-indexer</artifactId>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>script-security</artifactId>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>credentials</artifactId>
+        </dependency>
+
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins.workflow</groupId>
+            <artifactId>workflow-step-api</artifactId>
+        </dependency>
+
     </dependencies>
 
     <repositories>
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/classic/AbstractBuildStep.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/classic/AbstractBuildStep.kt
index c64cca0..6aecdba 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/classic/AbstractBuildStep.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/classic/AbstractBuildStep.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import org.kohsuke.stapler.QueryParameter
 import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.core.ZOSConnection
 import org.zowe.zdevops.Messages
 import org.zowe.zdevops.config.ZOSConnectionList
+import org.zowe.zdevops.utils.validateConnection
 import java.io.IOException
 import java.io.PrintWriter
 import java.io.StringWriter
@@ -71,6 +72,8 @@ abstract class AbstractBuildStep(val connectionName: String) : Builder(), Simple
             connURL.host, connURL.port.toString(), connection.username, connection.password, connURL.protocol
         )
 
+        validateConnection(zosConnection)
+
         perform(build, launcher, listener, zosConnection)
         return true
     }
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/config/ZOSConnection.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/config/ZOSConnection.kt
index 75b68aa..e81e35d 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/config/ZOSConnection.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/config/ZOSConnection.kt
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ import com.cloudbees.plugins.credentials.common.StandardCredentials
 import com.cloudbees.plugins.credentials.common.StandardListBoxModel
 import com.cloudbees.plugins.credentials.common.StandardUsernamePasswordCredentials
 import com.cloudbees.plugins.credentials.domains.URIRequirementBuilder
-import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.zosfiles.ZosDsnList
-import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.zosfiles.input.ListParams
-import org.zowe.zdevops.Messages
-import org.zowe.zdevops.declarative.jobs.zMessages
 import hudson.Extension
 import hudson.model.AbstractDescribableImpl
 import hudson.model.Descriptor
@@ -32,6 +28,9 @@ import net.sf.json.JSONObject
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.DataBoundConstructor
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.QueryParameter
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.StaplerRequest
+import org.zowe.zdevops.Messages
+import org.zowe.zdevops.declarative.jobs.zMessages
+import org.zowe.zdevops.utils.getTestDatasetList
 import java.io.IOException
 import java.io.ObjectInputStream
 import java.io.ObjectOutputStream
@@ -119,9 +118,9 @@ constructor(
         val testConnection = org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.core.ZOSConnection(
           connURL.host, connURL.port.toString(), credentials.username, credentials.password.plainText, connURL.protocol
         )
-        ZosDsnList(testConnection).listDsn(zMessages.zdevops_config_ZOSConnection_validation_testDS(), ListParams())
+        getTestDatasetList(testConnection)
       }.onFailure {
-        return FormValidation.error(zMessages.zdevops_config_ZOSConnection_validation_error());
+        return FormValidation.error("${zMessages.zdevops_config_ZOSConnection_validation_error()}\n(${it.message})");
       }
       return FormValidation.ok(zMessages.zdevops_config_ZOSConnection_validation_success())
     }
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/declarative/AbstractZosmfAction.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/declarative/AbstractZosmfAction.kt
index 5cf4b4e..7537d69 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/declarative/AbstractZosmfAction.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/declarative/AbstractZosmfAction.kt
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import jenkins.tasks.SimpleBuildStep
 import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.core.ZOSConnection
 import org.zowe.zdevops.Messages
 import org.zowe.zdevops.config.ZOSConnectionList
+import org.zowe.zdevops.utils.validateConnection
 import java.io.PrintWriter
 import java.io.StringWriter
 import java.net.URL
@@ -50,6 +51,9 @@ abstract class AbstractZosmfAction : Builder(), SimpleBuildStep {
     val zoweConnection = ZOSConnection(
       connURL.host, connURL.port.toString(), connection.username, connection.password, connURL.protocol
     )
+
+    validateConnection(zoweConnection)
+
     runCatching {
       perform(run, workspace, env, launcher, listener, zoweConnection)
     }.onFailure {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/utils/ConnectionValidation.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/utils/ConnectionValidation.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5211a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/zowe/zdevops/utils/ConnectionValidation.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the terms of the
+ * Eclipse Public License v2.0 which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
+ * https://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v20.html
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ *
+ * Copyright IBA Group 2024
+ */
+
+package org.zowe.zdevops.utils
+
+import hudson.AbortException
+import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.core.ZOSConnection
+import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.zosfiles.ZosDsnList
+import org.zowe.kotlinsdk.zowe.client.sdk.zosfiles.input.ListParams
+import org.zowe.zdevops.Messages
+
+/**
+ * Gets a list of datasets
+ * Calls the listDsn function of ZosDsnList to list data set names.
+ * Passes a test data set name ('HELLO.THERE').
+ *
+ * @param zosConnection The ZOSConnection object representing the connection to the z/OS system.
+ */
+fun getTestDatasetList(zosConnection: ZOSConnection) {
+  ZosDsnList(zosConnection).listDsn(Messages.zdevops_config_ZOSConnection_validation_testDS(), ListParams())
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validates a z/OS connection.
+ *
+ * @param zosConnection The ZOSConnection object representing the connection to the z/OS system.
+ */
+fun validateConnection(zosConnection: ZOSConnection) {
+  try {
+    getTestDatasetList(zosConnection)
+  } catch (connectException: Exception) {
+    val connExMessage = "Failed to connect to z/OS (${zosConnection.user}@${zosConnection.host}:${zosConnection.zosmfPort}): ${connectException.message}"
+    throw AbortException(connExMessage)
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file