diff --git a/nfq/hostlist.c b/nfq/hostlist.c
index 46b5e6c..ade317a 100644
--- a/nfq/hostlist.c
+++ b/nfq/hostlist.c
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ static struct hostlist_file *RegisterHostlist_(struct hostlist_files_head *hostl
 }
 struct hostlist_file *RegisterHostlist(struct desync_profile *dp, bool bExclude, const char *filename)
 {
+	if (!file_mod_time(filename))
+	{
+		DLOG_ERR("cannot access hostlist file '%s'\n",filename);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	return RegisterHostlist_(
 		&params.hostlists,
 		bExclude ? &dp->hl_collection_exclude : &dp->hl_collection,
diff --git a/nfq/ipset.c b/nfq/ipset.c
index b7ce05f..7c7a4be 100644
--- a/nfq/ipset.c
+++ b/nfq/ipset.c
@@ -225,7 +225,8 @@ static bool IpsetCheck_(const struct ipset_collection_head *ips, const struct ip
 
 bool IpsetCheck(const struct desync_profile *dp, const struct in_addr *ipv4, const struct in6_addr *ipv6)
 {
-	if (!PROFILE_IPSETS_EMPTY(dp)) DLOG("* ipset check for profile %d\n",dp->n);
+	if (PROFILE_IPSETS_EMPTY(dp)) return true;
+	DLOG("* ipset check for profile %d\n",dp->n);
 	return IpsetCheck_(&dp->ips_collection,&dp->ips_collection_exclude,ipv4,ipv6);
 }
 
@@ -243,6 +244,11 @@ static struct ipset_file *RegisterIpset_(struct ipset_files_head *ipsets, struct
 }
 struct ipset_file *RegisterIpset(struct desync_profile *dp, bool bExclude, const char *filename)
 {
+	if (!file_mod_time(filename))
+	{
+		DLOG_ERR("cannot access ipset file '%s'\n",filename);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	return RegisterIpset_(
 		&params.ipsets,
 		bExclude ? &dp->ips_collection_exclude : &dp->ips_collection,
diff --git a/nfq/nfqws.c b/nfq/nfqws.c
index 149b751..9320cec 100644
--- a/nfq/nfqws.c
+++ b/nfq/nfqws.c
@@ -1511,14 +1511,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 45: /* hostlist */
 			if (!RegisterHostlist(dp, false, optarg))
 			{
-				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist %s\n", optarg);
+				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist '%s'\n", optarg);
 				exit_clean(1);
 			}
 			break;
 		case 46: /* hostlist-exclude */
 			if (!RegisterHostlist(dp, true, optarg))
 			{
-				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist %s\n", optarg);
+				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist '%s'\n", optarg);
 				exit_clean(1);
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 			if (!(dp->hostlist_auto=RegisterHostlist(dp, false, optarg)))
 			{
-				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist %s\n", optarg);
+				DLOG_ERR("failed to register hostlist '%s'\n", optarg);
 				exit_clean(1);
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1639,14 +1639,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 57: /* ipset */
 			if (!RegisterIpset(dp, false, optarg))
 			{
-				DLOG_ERR("failed to register ipset %s\n", optarg);
+				DLOG_ERR("failed to register ipset '%s'\n", optarg);
 				exit_clean(1);
 			}
 			break;
 		case 58: /* ipset-exclude */
 			if (!RegisterIpset(dp, true, optarg))
 			{
-				DLOG_ERR("failed to register ipset %s\n", optarg);
+				DLOG_ERR("failed to register ipset '%s'\n", optarg);
 				exit_clean(1);
 			}
 			break;