diff --git a/src/AIModel/submodel.cxx b/src/AIModel/submodel.cxx
index d0df17275..9f939319b 100644
--- a/src/AIModel/submodel.cxx
+++ b/src/AIModel/submodel.cxx
@@ -484,6 +484,11 @@ void FGSubmodelMgr::setData(int id, const string& path, bool serviceable, const
     SGPropertyNode root;
 
     SGPath config = globals->resolve_aircraft_path(path);
+    if (!config.exists()) {
+        SG_LOG(SG_AI, SG_DEV_ALERT, "missing AI submodels file: " << config);
+        return;
+    }
+
     try {
         SG_LOG(SG_AI, SG_DEBUG,
                 "Submodels: Trying to read AI submodels file: " << config);
diff --git a/src/Cockpit/cockpitDisplayManager.cxx b/src/Cockpit/cockpitDisplayManager.cxx
index 2bad7accb..a706cb69c 100644
--- a/src/Cockpit/cockpitDisplayManager.cxx
+++ b/src/Cockpit/cockpitDisplayManager.cxx
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ void CockpitDisplayManager::init()
   }
 
   SGPath config = globals->resolve_aircraft_path(path_n->getStringValue());
+  if (!config.exists()) {
+    SG_LOG(SG_COCKPIT, SG_DEV_ALERT, "CockpitDisplaysManager: Missing instrumentation file at:" << config);
+    return;
+  }
+
   SG_LOG( SG_COCKPIT, SG_INFO, "Reading cockpit displays from " << config );
 
   try {
diff --git a/src/Instrumentation/instrument_mgr.cxx b/src/Instrumentation/instrument_mgr.cxx
index ff978e176..dd71a0f76 100644
--- a/src/Instrumentation/instrument_mgr.cxx
+++ b/src/Instrumentation/instrument_mgr.cxx
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ void FGInstrumentMgr::init()
   }
 
   SGPath config = globals->resolve_aircraft_path(path_n->getStringValue());
+  if (!config.exists()) {
+    SG_LOG(SG_COCKPIT, SG_DEV_ALERT, "Missing instrumentation file at:" << config);
+    return;
+  }
+
   SG_LOG( SG_COCKPIT, SG_INFO, "Reading instruments from " << config );
 
   try {
diff --git a/src/Systems/system_mgr.cxx b/src/Systems/system_mgr.cxx
index 27694f992..954137a17 100644
--- a/src/Systems/system_mgr.cxx
+++ b/src/Systems/system_mgr.cxx
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ FGSystemMgr::FGSystemMgr ()
 
     if (path_n) {
         SGPath config = globals->resolve_aircraft_path(path_n->getStringValue());
+        if (!config.exists()) {
+                SG_LOG( SG_SYSTEMS, SG_DEV_ALERT, "System model file not found:" << config);
+            return;
+        }
 
         SG_LOG( SG_SYSTEMS, SG_INFO, "Reading systems from "
                 << config );