diff --git a/src/fr/monlouyan/bakefile/Rule.java b/src/fr/monlouyan/bakefile/Rule.java
index c15ab74..6fa61b6 100644
--- a/src/fr/monlouyan/bakefile/Rule.java
+++ b/src/fr/monlouyan/bakefile/Rule.java
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ public class Rule {
     
         for (String dependency : dependencies) {
             File depFile = new File(dependency);
+            if (!depFile.exists()) {
+                System.out.println("bake: *** No rule to make target '" + dependency + "', needed by '" + name + "'.  Stop.");
+                System.exit(1);
+            }
+
             if (depFile.exists() && TimestampManager.getTimestamp(depFile) > targetTimestamp) {
                 if (BakeCLI.isDebug()) {
                     System.out.println("Debug : Dependency " + dependency + " is newer than target file " + name + ", needs update");