diff --git a/cmake/KF5I18nMacros.cmake.in b/cmake/KF5I18nMacros.cmake.in
--- a/cmake/KF5I18nMacros.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/KF5I18nMacros.cmake.in
@@ -47,10 +47,14 @@
    if(NOT TARGET Qt5::uic)
       message(FATAL_ERROR "Qt5Widgets should be found before calling ki18n_wrap_ui(). Please add find_package(Qt5Widgets ...)")
    endif()
-
    foreach (_current_FILE ${ARGN})
-
       get_filename_component(_tmp_FILE ${_current_FILE} ABSOLUTE)
+      message(${_tmp_FILE})
+      if(NOT EXISTS ${_tmp_FILE})
+         message(SEND_ERROR
+         " Cannot find ui file:\n \n"
+         "    ${_current_FILE}\n")
+      endif()
       get_filename_component(_basename ${_tmp_FILE} NAME_WE)
       set(_header ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ui_${_basename}.h)