diff --git a/uwsgiconfig.py b/uwsgiconfig.py
index 0c1535e9..7200c0eb 100644
--- a/uwsgiconfig.py
+++ b/uwsgiconfig.py
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ def build_uwsgi(uc, print_only=False):
                 path = 'plugins/%s' % p
                 path = path.rstrip('/')
 
+                if not os.path.isdir(path):
+                    print("Error: plugin '%s' not found" % p)
+                    sys.exit(1)
+
                 sys.path.insert(0, path)
                 import uwsgiplugin as up
                 reload(up)
@@ -995,6 +999,10 @@ class uConf(object):
 def build_plugin(path, uc, cflags, ldflags, libs, name = None):
     path = path.rstrip('/')
 
+    if not os.path.isdir(path):
+        print("Error: unable to find directory '%s'" % path)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     sys.path.insert(0, path)
     import uwsgiplugin as up
     reload(up)