diff --git a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/MavenEmbedder.java b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/MavenEmbedder.java
index 03a0b0a146..4697f306e9 100644
--- a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/MavenEmbedder.java
+++ b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/MavenEmbedder.java
@@ -755,7 +755,6 @@ public class MavenEmbedder
 
         if ( configuration.getGlobalSettingsFile() != null )
         {
-
             try
             {
                 fileReader = new FileReader( configuration.getGlobalSettingsFile() );
diff --git a/maven-embedder/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/configuration/ValidateConfigurationTest.java b/maven-embedder/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/configuration/ValidateConfigurationTest.java
index 57d51b9ac5..2a17271223 100644
--- a/maven-embedder/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/configuration/ValidateConfigurationTest.java
+++ b/maven-embedder/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/embedder/configuration/ValidateConfigurationTest.java
@@ -18,11 +18,25 @@ public class ValidateConfigurationTest
 
         ConfigurationValidationResult result = MavenEmbedder.validateConfiguration( configuration );
 
-        assertTrue( result.isUserSettingsFileParses() );
+        assertTrue( result.isUserSettingsFilePresent() );
 
         assertTrue( result.isUserSettingsFileParses() );
     }
 
+    public void testConfigurationOnlyUserSettingsAreActiveAndItIsInvalid()
+    {
+        File user = new File( getBasedir(), "src/test/resources/settings/invalid-settings.xml" );
+
+        Configuration configuration = new DefaultConfiguration()
+            .setUserSettingsFile( user );
+
+        ConfigurationValidationResult result = MavenEmbedder.validateConfiguration( configuration );
+
+        assertTrue( result.isUserSettingsFilePresent() );
+
+        assertFalse( result.isUserSettingsFileParses() );
+    }
+
     public void testConfigurationOnlyGlobalSettingsAreActiveAndItIsValid()
     {
         File global = new File( getBasedir(), "src/test/resources/settings/valid-settings.xml" );
@@ -36,4 +50,18 @@ public class ValidateConfigurationTest
 
         assertTrue( result.isGlobalSettingsFileParses() );
     }
+
+    public void testConfigurationOnlyGlobalSettingsAreActiveAndItIsInvalid()
+    {
+        File global = new File( getBasedir(), "src/test/resources/settings/invalid-settings.xml" );
+
+        Configuration configuration = new DefaultConfiguration()
+            .setGlobalSettingsFile( global );
+
+        ConfigurationValidationResult result = MavenEmbedder.validateConfiguration( configuration );
+
+        assertTrue( result.isGlobalSettingsFilePresent() );
+
+        assertFalse( result.isGlobalSettingsFileParses() );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/maven-embedder/src/test/resources/settings/invalid-settings.xml b/maven-embedder/src/test/resources/settings/invalid-settings.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0a5eac3db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maven-embedder/src/test/resources/settings/invalid-settings.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<settings>
+  <!-- Missing end tag below -->
+  <localRepository>/Users/jvanzyl/maven-repo-local</localRepository
+</settings>