diff --git a/cmd/mindthegap/importcmd/imagebundle/image_bundle.go b/cmd/mindthegap/importcmd/imagebundle/image_bundle.go
index 63eadaae..265c1399 100644
--- a/cmd/mindthegap/importcmd/imagebundle/image_bundle.go
+++ b/cmd/mindthegap/importcmd/imagebundle/image_bundle.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package imagebundle
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -67,6 +68,11 @@ func NewCommand(out output.Output) *cobra.Command {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if cfg == nil {
+				return errors.New(
+					"no bundle configuration(s) found: please check that you have specified valid air-gapped bundle(s)",
+				)
+			}
 
 			out.StartOperation("Starting temporary Docker registry")
 			reg, err := registry.NewRegistry(
diff --git a/test/e2e/imagebundle/import_bundle_test.go b/test/e2e/imagebundle/import_bundle_test.go
index 5fc7daa8..6b41ed84 100644
--- a/test/e2e/imagebundle/import_bundle_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/imagebundle/import_bundle_test.go
@@ -146,4 +146,21 @@ var _ = Describe("Import Bundle", Label("import"), Serial, func() {
 			cmd.Execute(),
 		).To(MatchError(fmt.Sprintf("did find any matching files for %q", "non-existent-file")))
 	})
+
+	It("Bundle file exists, is a tarball, but not an image bundle", func() {
+		tmpDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
+		nonBundleFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "image-bundle.tar")
+
+		Expect(archive.ArchiveDirectory("testdata", nonBundleFile)).To(Succeed())
+
+		cmd := helpers.NewCommand(GinkgoT(), importimagebundle.NewCommand)
+
+		cmd.SetArgs([]string{
+			"--image-bundle", nonBundleFile,
+		})
+
+		Expect(
+			cmd.Execute(),
+		).To(MatchError("no bundle configuration(s) found: please check that you have specified valid air-gapped bundle(s)"))
+	})
 })