diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -1033,6 +1033,8 @@ def walkchangerevs(ui, repo, pats, chang
                 if node is None:
                     # A zero count may be a directory or deleted file, so
                     # try to find matching entries on the slow path.
+                    if follow:
+                        raise util.Abort(_('cannot follow nonexistent file: "%s"') % file_)
                     slowpath = True
                     break
                 else:
diff --git a/tests/test-log.out b/tests/test-log.out
--- a/tests/test-log.out
+++ b/tests/test-log.out
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:01 1970 +0
 summary:     a
 
 % -f, directory
-abort: can only follow copies/renames for explicit file names
+abort: cannot follow nonexistent file: "dir"
 % -f, but no args
 changeset:   4:b30c444c7c84
 tag:         tip