diff --git a/mercurial/templater.py b/mercurial/templater.py
--- a/mercurial/templater.py
+++ b/mercurial/templater.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 from i18n import _
 import re, sys, os
+from mercurial import util
 
 def parsestring(s, quoted=True):
     '''parse a string using simple c-like syntax.
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ class templater(object):
 
         if not mapfile:
             return
+        if not os.path.exists(mapfile):
+            raise util.Abort(_('style not found: %s') % mapfile)
+
         i = 0
         for l in file(mapfile):
             l = l.strip()
diff --git a/tests/test-command-template.out b/tests/test-command-template.out
--- a/tests/test-command-template.out
+++ b/tests/test-command-template.out
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ 0:-1,-1   1e4e1b8f71e0   1970-01-12 13:4
 # error if style not readable
 abort: Permission denied: ./q
 # error if no style
-abort: No such file or directory: notexist
+abort: style not found: notexist
 # error if style missing key
 abort: ./t: no key named 'changeset'
 # error if include fails