diff --git a/docs/whats_new/v0-3-5.rst b/docs/whats_new/v0-3-5.rst
index 8492b9308..9f08b8105 100644
--- a/docs/whats_new/v0-3-5.rst
+++ b/docs/whats_new/v0-3-5.rst
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ API Changes
 New Features
 ############
 - Add methods for exergy and entropy analyses of networks.
-  Examples will follow (`PR #215 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/215>`_),
-
+  Examples will follow (`PR #215 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/215>`_).
 - Add a method :code:`get_plotting_data` to each component to export the input
   data required by FluProDia in order to generate the data required to display
   state changes in the components in a fluid property diagram. Each component
@@ -91,7 +90,6 @@ New Features
   For more information see the respective
   :ref:`documentation section <FluProDia_label>`
   (`PR #234 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/234>`_).
-
 - Add a flag to deactivate calculation of all component equations in every
   iteration. This improves stability in some cases but may reduce calculation
   speed (`PR #226 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/226>`_). To deactivate
@@ -101,7 +99,6 @@ New Features
   .. code-block:: python
 
       mynetwork.solve('design', always_all_equations=False)
-
 - Add a flag use cuda instead of numpy for matrix inversion. With cuda matrix
   inversion is outsourced to the graphics card. Using cuda additionally
   requires :code:`cupy` installed on your machine
@@ -166,7 +163,6 @@ Other Changes
 - An error message is raised in case the user specifies a fluid vector
   containing fluids, that are not part of the network's fluid list
   (`PR #233 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/233>`_).
-
 - For improved convergence stability of the methods
   :py:meth:`tespy.components.heat_exchangers.heat_exchanger_simple.HeatExchangerSimple.kA_func` and
   :py:meth:`tespy.components.heat_exchangers.heat_exchanger_simple.HeatExchangerSimple.kA_char_func`,
@@ -174,6 +170,9 @@ Other Changes
   temperature difference between ambient and inlet and outlet temperature, if
   the terminal temperature differences do not have the same sign
   (`PR #225 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/225>`_).
+- An understandable error message is raised in case the user misses out on
+  fluids required by components of class CombustionChamber or CombustionEngine
+  (`PR #242 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/242>`_).
 
 Contributors
 ############
diff --git a/src/tespy/components/combustion/combustion_chamber.py b/src/tespy/components/combustion/combustion_chamber.py
index f1f61d220..e44782141 100644
--- a/src/tespy/components/combustion/combustion_chamber.py
+++ b/src/tespy/components/combustion/combustion_chamber.py
@@ -222,14 +222,23 @@ def setup_reaction_parameters(self):
                    self.component() + ' are: ' + str(self.fuel_list) + '.')
             logging.debug(msg)
 
-        self.o2 = [x for x in self.nw_fluids if x in [
-            a.replace(' ', '') for a in CP.get_aliases('O2')]][0]
-        self.co2 = [x for x in self.nw_fluids if x in [
-            a.replace(' ', '') for a in CP.get_aliases('CO2')]][0]
-        self.h2o = [x for x in self.nw_fluids if x in [
-            a.replace(' ', '') for a in CP.get_aliases('H2O')]][0]
-        self.n2 = [x for x in self.nw_fluids if x in [
-            a.replace(' ', '') for a in CP.get_aliases('N2')]][0]
+        for fluid in ['o2', 'co2', 'h2o', 'n2']:
+            try:
+                setattr(
+                    self, fluid, [x for x in self.nw_fluids if x in [
+                        a.replace(' ', '') for a in
+                        CP.get_aliases(fluid.upper())
+                    ]][0])
+            except IndexError:
+                msg = (
+                    'The component ' + self.label + ' (class ' +
+                    self.__class__.__name__ + ') requires that the fluid '
+                    '[fluid] is in the network\'s list of fluids.')
+                aliases = ', '.join(CP.get_aliases(fluid.upper()))
+                msg = msg.replace(
+                    '[fluid]', fluid.upper() + ' (aliases: ' + aliases + ')')
+                logging.error(msg)
+                raise TESPyComponentError(msg)
 
         self.fuels = {}
         for f in self.fuel_list:
diff --git a/tests/test_errors.py b/tests/test_errors.py
index 3131752d3..933851a4e 100644
--- a/tests/test_errors.py
+++ b/tests/test_errors.py
@@ -254,6 +254,18 @@ def test_CombustionChamber_missing_fuel():
     with raises(TESPyComponentError):
         nw.solve('design', init_only=True)
 
+
+def test_CombustionChamber_missing_oxygen():
+    """Test no fuel in network."""
+    nw = Network(['H2O', 'N2', 'Ar', 'CO2', 'CH4'])
+    instance = CombustionChamber('combustion chamber')
+    c1 = Connection(Source('air'), 'out1', instance, 'in1')
+    c2 = Connection(Source('fuel'), 'out1', instance, 'in2')
+    c3 = Connection(instance, 'out1', Sink('flue gas'), 'in1')
+    nw.add_conns(c1, c2, c3)
+    with raises(TESPyComponentError):
+        nw.solve('design', init_only=True)
+
 ##############################################################################
 # CombustionChamberStoich