diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index a3ec5c26..a2fae65a 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -242,14 +242,19 @@ func before(c *cli.Context) (*state.HelmState, helmexec.Interface, error) {
 	labels := c.GlobalStringSlice("selector")
 
 	st, err := state.ReadFromFile(file)
-	if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), fmt.Sprintf("open %s:", DefaultHelmfile)) {
-		var fallbackErr error
-		st, fallbackErr = state.ReadFromFile(DeprecatedHelmfile)
-		if fallbackErr != nil {
-			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read %s and %s: %v", file, DeprecatedHelmfile, err)
+	if err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), fmt.Sprintf("open %s:", DefaultHelmfile)) {
+			var fallbackErr error
+			st, fallbackErr = state.ReadFromFile(DeprecatedHelmfile)
+			if fallbackErr != nil {
+				return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read %s and %s: %v", file, DeprecatedHelmfile, err)
+			}
+			log.Printf("warn: charts.yaml is loaded: charts.yaml is deprecated in favor of helmfile.yaml. See https://github.com/roboll/helmfile/issues/25 for more information")
+		} else {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read %s: %v", file, err)
 		}
-		log.Printf("warn: charts.yaml is loaded: charts.yaml is deprecated in favor of helmfile.yaml. See https://github.com/roboll/helmfile/issues/25 for more information")
 	}
+
 	if st.Context != "" {
 		if kubeContext != "" {
 			log.Printf("err: Cannot use option --kube-context and set attribute context.")
diff --git a/state/state.go b/state/state.go
index f82be7cc..ad7b3f2b 100644
--- a/state/state.go
+++ b/state/state.go
@@ -181,6 +181,11 @@ func (state *HelmState) SyncReleases(helm helmexec.Interface, additionalValues [
 						errQueue <- err
 						haveValueErr = true
 					}
+
+					if _, err := os.Stat(valfile); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+						errQueue <- err
+						haveValueErr = true
+					}
 					flags = append(flags, "--values", valfile)
 				}
 
@@ -241,6 +246,10 @@ func (state *HelmState) DiffReleases(helm helmexec.Interface, additionalValues [
 				if err != nil {
 					errs = append(errs, err)
 				}
+
+				if _, err := os.Stat(valfile); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+					errs = append(errs, err)
+				}
 				flags = append(flags, "--values", valfile)
 			}
 			if len(errs) == 0 {
@@ -386,6 +395,11 @@ func flagsForRelease(helm helmexec.Interface, basePath string, release *ReleaseS
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+
+		if _, err := os.Stat(valfileRendered); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
 		flags = append(flags, "--values", valfileRendered)
 	}
 	for _, value := range release.Secrets {
@@ -395,6 +409,10 @@ func flagsForRelease(helm helmexec.Interface, basePath string, release *ReleaseS
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
+		if _, err := os.Stat(path); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
 		valfileRendered, err := helm.DecryptSecret(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err