diff --git a/jsign-crypto/src/main/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreType.java b/jsign-crypto/src/main/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreType.java
index bb41a41d..53472ea9 100644
--- a/jsign-crypto/src/main/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreType.java
+++ b/jsign-crypto/src/main/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreType.java
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ void validate(KeyStoreBuilder params) {
             if (params.keystore() == null) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("keystore " + params.parameterName() + " must be set");
             }
+            if (!params.createFile(params.keystore()).exists()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("The keystore " + params.keystore() + " couldn't be found");
+            }
         }
     },
 
@@ -129,6 +132,9 @@ void validate(KeyStoreBuilder params) {
             if (params.keystore() == null) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("keystore " + params.parameterName() + " must be set");
             }
+            if (!params.createFile(params.keystore()).exists()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("The keystore " + params.keystore() + " couldn't be found");
+            }
         }
     },
 
@@ -139,6 +145,9 @@ void validate(KeyStoreBuilder params) {
             if (params.keystore() == null) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("keystore " + params.parameterName() + " must be set");
             }
+            if (!params.createFile(params.keystore()).exists()) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("The keystore " + params.keystore() + " couldn't be found");
+            }
         }
     },
 
@@ -629,10 +638,6 @@ KeyStore getKeystore(KeyStoreBuilder params, Provider provider) throws KeyStoreE
             throw new KeyStoreException("keystore type '" + name() + "' is not supported" + (provider != null ? " with security provider " + provider.getName() : ""), e);
         }
 
-        if (fileBased && (params.keystore() == null || !params.createFile(params.keystore()).exists())) {
-            throw new KeyStoreException("The keystore " + params.keystore() + " couldn't be found");
-        }
-
         try {
             try (FileInputStream in = fileBased ? new FileInputStream(params.createFile(params.keystore())) : null) {
                 ks.load(in, params.storepass() != null ? params.storepass().toCharArray() : null);
diff --git a/jsign-crypto/src/test/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreBuilderTest.java b/jsign-crypto/src/test/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreBuilderTest.java
index 2b34ae2c..bcb029b2 100644
--- a/jsign-crypto/src/test/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreBuilderTest.java
+++ b/jsign-crypto/src/test/java/net/jsign/KeyStoreBuilderTest.java
@@ -337,6 +337,11 @@ public void testBuildJKS() throws Exception {
         Exception e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
         assertEquals("message", "keystore parameter must be set", e.getMessage());
 
+        builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/missing.jks");
+
+        e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
+        assertEquals("message", "The keystore target/test-classes/keystores/missing.jks couldn't be found", e.getMessage());
+
         builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/keystore.jks");
 
         KeyStore keystore = builder.build();
@@ -350,6 +355,11 @@ public void testBuildJCEKS() throws Exception {
         Exception e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
         assertEquals("message", "keystore parameter must be set", e.getMessage());
 
+        builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/missing.jceks");
+
+        e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
+        assertEquals("message", "The keystore target/test-classes/keystores/missing.jceks couldn't be found", e.getMessage());
+
         builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/keystore.jceks");
 
         KeyStore keystore = builder.build();
@@ -363,6 +373,11 @@ public void testBuildPKCS12() throws Exception {
         Exception e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
         assertEquals("message", "keystore parameter must be set", e.getMessage());
 
+        builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/missing.p12");
+
+        e = assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, builder::build);
+        assertEquals("message", "The keystore target/test-classes/keystores/missing.p12 couldn't be found", e.getMessage());
+
         builder.keystore("target/test-classes/keystores/keystore.p12");
 
         KeyStore keystore = builder.build();