diff --git a/grok_exporter.go b/grok_exporter.go
index 21600a8a..c713a5b6 100644
--- a/grok_exporter.go
+++ b/grok_exporter.go
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ func main() {
 		case err := <-serverErrors:
 			exitOnError(fmt.Errorf("server error: %v", err.Error()))
 		case err := <-tail.Errors():
+			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+				exitOnError(fmt.Errorf("error reading log lines: %v. use 'fail_on_missing_logfile: false' in the input configuration if you want grok_exporter to start even though the logfile is missing", err))
+			}
 			exitOnError(fmt.Errorf("error reading log lines: %v", err.Error()))
 		case line := <-tail.Lines():
 			matched := false
diff --git a/tailer/fileTailer.go b/tailer/fileTailer.go
index 9ec4257a..95975c49 100644
--- a/tailer/fileTailer.go
+++ b/tailer/fileTailer.go
@@ -180,9 +180,6 @@ func openLogfile(path string, readall bool, failOnMissingFile bool) (*File, stri
 	}
 	file, err := open(abspath)
 	if err != nil {
-		if failOnMissingFile && os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("%v. use 'fail_on_missing_logfile: false' in the input configuration if you want grok_exporter to start even though the logfile is missing", err)
-		}
 		if failOnMissingFile || !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			return nil, "", err
 		}