diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index 5b2eaac2e3c..097ecb61f26 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ fixed - Functions emulator fails to provide correct req.path
 fixed - Functions emulator fails on various malformed body requests
 fixed - Fixed race condition where downloading emulators would sometimes resolve too early and fail.
 fixed - Fixed a number of issues that broke functions:shell.
+fixed - Fixed an issue where Firestore emulator would not start if rules file can't be found.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/emulator/controller.ts b/src/emulator/controller.ts
index 44ce83068e0..e1bb2500f9c 100644
--- a/src/emulator/controller.ts
+++ b/src/emulator/controller.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as _ from "lodash";
 import * as clc from "cli-color";
+import * as fs from "fs";
 import * as pf from "portfinder";
 
 import * as utils from "../utils";
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ import { ALL_EMULATORS, EmulatorInstance, Emulators } from "../emulator/types";
 import { Constants } from "../emulator/constants";
 import { FunctionsEmulator } from "../emulator/functionsEmulator";
 import { DatabaseEmulator } from "../emulator/databaseEmulator";
-import { FirestoreEmulator } from "../emulator/firestoreEmulator";
+import { FirestoreEmulator, FirestoreEmulatorArgs } from "../emulator/firestoreEmulator";
 import { HostingEmulator } from "../emulator/hostingEmulator";
 import * as FirebaseError from "../error";
 import * as path from "path";
@@ -123,13 +124,24 @@ export async function startAll(options: any): Promise<void> {
 
   if (targets.indexOf(Emulators.FIRESTORE) > -1) {
     const firestoreAddr = Constants.getAddress(Emulators.FIRESTORE, options);
-    const rules = path.join(options.projectRoot, options.config.get("firestore.rules"));
 
-    const firestoreEmulator = new FirestoreEmulator({
+    const args: FirestoreEmulatorArgs = {
       host: firestoreAddr.host,
       port: firestoreAddr.port,
-      rules,
-    });
+    };
+
+    const rules: string = path.join(options.projectRoot, options.config.get("firestore.rules"));
+    if (fs.existsSync(rules)) {
+      args.rules = rules;
+    } else {
+      utils.logWarning(
+        `Firestore rules file ${clc.bold(
+          rules
+        )} specified in firebase.json does not exist, starting Firestore emulator without rules.`
+      );
+    }
+
+    const firestoreEmulator = new FirestoreEmulator(args);
     await startEmulator(firestoreEmulator);
 
     utils.logLabeledBullet(
diff --git a/src/emulator/firestoreEmulator.ts b/src/emulator/firestoreEmulator.ts
index 91defa578a7..54c149bb6f1 100644
--- a/src/emulator/firestoreEmulator.ts
+++ b/src/emulator/firestoreEmulator.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { EmulatorInfo, EmulatorInstance, Emulators } from "../emulator/types";
 import { EmulatorRegistry } from "./registry";
 import { Constants } from "./constants";
 
-interface FirestoreEmulatorArgs {
+export interface FirestoreEmulatorArgs {
   port?: number;
   host?: string;
   rules?: string;