diff --git a/src/musredit/musredit.pro b/src/musredit/musredit.pro
index 4ad26dca..3503fe15 100644
--- a/src/musredit/musredit.pro
+++ b/src/musredit/musredit.pro
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 TEMPLATE = app
 TARGET = musredit
 
+!exists( musredit_startup.xml ) {
+    error( "Configuration file musredit_startup.xml not found! Please configure musrfit first, before trying to install musredit!" )
+}
+
 # install path for musredit
 count( PREFIX, 1 ) {
     MUSREDIT_INSTALL_PATH = $${PREFIX}/bin
diff --git a/src/musrgui/musrgui.pro b/src/musrgui/musrgui.pro
index aaf81db9..24bf6ed0 100644
--- a/src/musrgui/musrgui.pro
+++ b/src/musrgui/musrgui.pro
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 TEMPLATE = app
 TARGET = musrgui
 
+!exists( musrgui_startup.xml ) {
+    error( "Configuration file musrgui_startup.xml not found! Please configure musrfit first, before trying to install musrgui!" )
+}
+
 # install path for musrgui
 count( PREFIX, 1 ) {
     MUSRGUI_INSTALL_PATH = $${PREFIX}/bin