diff --git a/ivy/IvyActions.scala b/ivy/IvyActions.scala
index e01cfba90..ca493963e 100644
--- a/ivy/IvyActions.scala
+++ b/ivy/IvyActions.scala
@@ -251,9 +251,11 @@ object IvyActions
 		}
 
 	def publish(module: ModuleDescriptor, artifacts: Seq[(IArtifact, File)], resolver: DependencyResolver, overwrite: Boolean): Unit =
+	{
+		checkFilesPresent(artifacts)
 		try {
 			resolver.beginPublishTransaction(module.getModuleRevisionId(), overwrite);
-			for( (artifact, file) <- artifacts) if(file.exists)
+			for( (artifact, file) <- artifacts)
 				resolver.publish(artifact, file, overwrite)
 			resolver.commitPublishTransaction()
 		} catch {
@@ -261,6 +263,12 @@ object IvyActions
 				try { resolver.abortPublishTransaction() }
 				finally { throw e }
 		}
-
+	}
+	private[this] def checkFilesPresent(artifacts: Seq[(IArtifact, File)])
+	{
+		val missing = artifacts filter { case (a, file) => !file.exists }
+		if(missing.nonEmpty)
+			error("Missing files for publishing:\n\t" + missing.map(_._2.getAbsolutePath).mkString("\n\t"))
+	}
 }
 final class ResolveException(val messages: Seq[String], val failed: Seq[ModuleID]) extends RuntimeException(messages.mkString("\n"))