diff --git a/make_helpers/build_macros.mk b/make_helpers/build_macros.mk
index a4fbc5a..4e69b02 100644
--- a/make_helpers/build_macros.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/build_macros.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2015-2017, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2015-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 #
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@
 .PHONY: check_$(1)
 check_$(1):
 	$$(if $(value $(1)),,$$(error "Platform '${PLAT}' requires $(1). Please set $(1) to point to the right file"))
+	$$(if $(wildcard $(value $(1))),,$$(error '$(1)=$(value $(1))' was specified, but '$(value $(1))' does not exist))
 endef
 
 # FWU_FIP_ADD_PAYLOAD appends the command line arguments required by fiptool
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@
 .PHONY: check_$(1)
 check_$(1):
 	$$(if $(value $(1)),,$$(error "Platform '${PLAT}' requires $(1). Please set $(1) to point to the right file"))
+	$$(if $(wildcard $(value $(1))),,$$(error '$(1)=$(value $(1))' was specified, but '$(value $(1))' does not exist))
 endef
 
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