diff --git a/src/rc/fstabinfo.c b/src/rc/fstabinfo.c
index bd2372d63..75c8bc2b6 100644
--- a/src/rc/fstabinfo.c
+++ b/src/rc/fstabinfo.c
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	FILE *fp;
 #endif
 
+	/* fail if there is no /etc/fstab */
+	if (!exists("/etc/fstab"))
+		eerrorx("/etc/fstab does not exist");
 	/* Ensure that we are only quiet when explicitly told to be */
 	unsetenv("EINFO_QUIET");
 
diff --git a/src/rc/mountinfo.c b/src/rc/mountinfo.c
index 10e3238d9..29eb16002 100644
--- a/src/rc/mountinfo.c
+++ b/src/rc/mountinfo.c
@@ -297,6 +297,9 @@ getmntfile(const char *file)
 	struct mntent *ent = NULL;
 	FILE *fp;
 
+	if (!exists("/etc/fstab"))
+		return NULL;
+
 	fp = setmntent("/etc/fstab", "r");
 	while ((ent = getmntent(fp)))
 		if (strcmp(file, ent->mnt_dir) == 0)