diff --git a/pman.sh b/pman.sh
index 284a930..4cc9f14 100755
--- a/pman.sh
+++ b/pman.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ elif [ "$command_args" = "reflector" ]; then
   fi
   su_needed=true
 elif [ "$command_args" = "ignored" ]; then
+  if [ ! -f "$ignoredpkgs_file" ]; then
+    echo "Error: $ignoredpkgs_file does not exist, no packages ignored" >&2
+    echo "use $0 ignore <pkgname> to start" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
   command="echo"
   command_args="$(cat $ignoredpkgs_file | sed 's/IgnorePkg = //' | sort)"
 elif [ "$command_args" = "ignore" ]; then
@@ -63,6 +68,11 @@ elif [ "$command_args" = "ignore" ]; then
   done
   exit 0
 elif [ "$command_args" = "unignore" ]; then
+  if [ ! -f "$ignoredpkgs_file" ]; then
+    echo "Error: $ignoredpkgs_file does not exist, no packages ignored" >&2
+    echo "use $0 ignore <pkgname> to start" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
   for pkg in "${@}"; do
     command="sed"
     su_needed=true