diff --git a/pythonlings/core/curriculum.py b/pythonlings/core/curriculum.py
index 530f5d2..350d90c 100644
--- a/pythonlings/core/curriculum.py
+++ b/pythonlings/core/curriculum.py
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ def _sync_originals(root: Path, src_root: Path) -> None:
 
 def init_workspace(path: Path, *, force: bool = False) -> Path:
     path = path.expanduser().resolve()
+    src_root = source_root().resolve()
+    if path == src_root:
+        raise WorkspaceError(
+            f"cannot init the curriculum source at {path}; "
+            "pick another location with --path <dir>"
+        )
     if path.exists() and any(path.iterdir()) and not force:
         raise WorkspaceError(
             f"{path} isn't empty and isn't a pythonlings workspace. "
@@ -99,7 +105,6 @@ def init_workspace(path: Path, *, force: bool = False) -> Path:
         )
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
-    src_root = source_root()
     _copy_path(src_root / "info.toml", path / "info.toml", overwrite=True)
     for dirname in CURRICULUM_DIRS:
         _copy_path(src_root / dirname, path / dirname, overwrite=True)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_curriculum.py b/tests/unit/test_curriculum.py
index fb2b4fb..cdeff0f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_curriculum.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_curriculum.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import pytest
+
 from pythonlings.core import curriculum
 
 
@@ -35,12 +37,28 @@ def test_init_workspace_refuses_non_empty_directory(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     target.mkdir()
     (target / "notes.txt").write_text("keep me", encoding="utf-8")
 
-    try:
+    with pytest.raises(curriculum.WorkspaceError) as excinfo:
         curriculum.init_workspace(target)
-    except curriculum.WorkspaceError as exc:
-        assert "isn't empty and isn't a pythonlings workspace" in str(exc)
-    else:
-        raise AssertionError("expected WorkspaceError")
+
+    assert "isn't empty and isn't a pythonlings workspace" in str(excinfo.value)
+
+
+def test_init_workspace_rejects_curriculum_source(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    src_root = curriculum.source_root().resolve()
+
+    with pytest.raises(curriculum.WorkspaceError) as excinfo:
+        curriculum.init_workspace(src_root)
+
+    assert "cannot init the curriculum source" in str(excinfo.value)
+
+
+def test_init_workspace_rejects_curriculum_source_with_force() -> None:
+    src_root = curriculum.source_root().resolve()
+
+    with pytest.raises(curriculum.WorkspaceError) as excinfo:
+        curriculum.init_workspace(src_root, force=True)
+
+    assert "cannot init the curriculum source" in str(excinfo.value)
 
 
 def test_force_init_preserves_existing_gitignore_entries(tmp_path: Path) -> None: