diff --git a/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis b/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis
index 9d4aeba6e7..7816bf83eb 100755
--- a/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis
+++ b/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ if [ -z "$ARTEMIS_PROFILE" ] ; then
   fi
 fi
 
+if ! test -f "$ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC/${ARTEMIS_PROFILE}"; then
+   echo "********************************************************************************"
+   echo Error: "$ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC/${ARTEMIS_PROFILE}" does not exist.
+   echo
+   echo "This file should have been created as part of you upgrading from a previous version"
+   echo "Please use 'artemis upgrade' or make sure you create the file."
+   echo "********************************************************************************"
+   exit 1
+fi
+
 . "$ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC/${ARTEMIS_PROFILE}"
 
 
diff --git a/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis.cmd b/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis.cmd
index e9163a041d..cb10d5a4f6 100644
--- a/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis.cmd
+++ b/artemis-cli/src/main/resources/org/apache/activemq/artemis/cli/commands/bin/artemis.cmd
@@ -52,6 +52,17 @@ set ARTEMIS_PROFILE=artemis-utility.profile.cmd
 if "%1"=="run" set ARTEMIS_PROFILE=artemis.profile.cmd
 
 :LOAD_ARTEMIS_PROFILE
+
+IF NOT EXIST  %ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC%\%ARTEMIS_PROFILE% (
+       echo ********************************************************************************
+       echo Error: %ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC%\%ARTEMIS_PROFILE% does not exist.
+       echo.
+       echo This file should have been created as part of you upgrading from a previous version
+       echo Please use 'artemis upgrade' or make sure you create the file.
+       echo ********************************************************************************
+    exit /b 1
+)
+
 call %ARTEMIS_INSTANCE_ETC%\%ARTEMIS_PROFILE% %*
 
 if not exist %ARTEMIS_OOME_DUMP% goto NO_ARTEMIS_OOME_DUMP