diff --git a/src/core/engine.cpp b/src/core/engine.cpp
--- a/src/core/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/core/engine.cpp
@@ -118,10 +118,16 @@
 
     emit signalBusy(i18n("Initializing"));
 
+    if(!QFileInfo::exists(configfile)) {
+        emit signalError(i18n("Configuration file not found: \"%1\"", configfile));
+        qCritical() << "No knsrc file named '" << configfile << "' was found.";
+        return false;
+    }
+
     KConfig conf(configfile);
     if (conf.accessMode() == KConfig::NoAccess) {
-        emit signalError(i18n("Configuration file not found: \"%1\"", configfile));
-        qCritical() << "No knsrc file named '" << configfile << "' was found." << endl;
+        emit signalError(i18n("Configuration file exists, but cannot be opened: \"%1\"", configfile));
+        qCritical() << "The knsrc file '" << configfile << "' was found but could not be opened.";
         return false;
     }