diff --git a/src/mkdwarfs_main.cpp b/src/mkdwarfs_main.cpp
index b29e2e89..58434782 100644
--- a/src/mkdwarfs_main.cpp
+++ b/src/mkdwarfs_main.cpp
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ int mkdwarfs_main(int argc, sys_char** argv, iolayer const& iol) {
       ifs = iol.file->open_input(input_list_path, ec);
 
       if (ec) {
-        iol.err << "error opening file '" << input_list_path
+        iol.err << "cannot open input list file '" << input_list_path
                 << "': " << ec.message() << "\n";
         return 1;
       }
diff --git a/test/tool_main_test.cpp b/test/tool_main_test.cpp
index 47a894d6..0c7bb719 100644
--- a/test/tool_main_test.cpp
+++ b/test/tool_main_test.cpp
@@ -552,3 +552,9 @@ TEST(mkdwarfs_test, cannot_combine_input_list_and_filter) {
   EXPECT_THAT(t.err(),
               ::testing::HasSubstr("cannot combine --input-list and --filter"));
 }
+
+TEST(mkdwarfs_test, cannot_open_input_list_file) {
+  mkdwarfs_tester t;
+  EXPECT_NE(0, t.run({"--input-list", "missing.list", "-o", "-"}));
+  EXPECT_THAT(t.err(), ::testing::HasSubstr("cannot open input list file"));
+}