diff --git a/lib/browse_everything.rb b/lib/browse_everything.rb
index 24168488..b0fbda27 100644
--- a/lib/browse_everything.rb
+++ b/lib/browse_everything.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ module Google
   end
 
   class InitializationError < RuntimeError; end
+  class ConfigurationError < StandardError; end
   class NotImplementedError < StandardError; end
   class NotAuthorizedError < StandardError; end
 
@@ -51,11 +52,15 @@ def configure(value)
       if value.is_a?(Hash)
         @config = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new value
       elsif value.is_a?(String)
-        config_file_content = File.read(value)
-        config_file_template = ERB.new(config_file_content)
-        config_values = YAML.safe_load(config_file_template.result, [Symbol])
-        @config = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new config_values
-        @config.deep_symbolize_keys
+        begin
+          config_file_content = File.read(value)
+          config_file_template = ERB.new(config_file_content)
+          config_values = YAML.safe_load(config_file_template.result, [Symbol])
+          @config = ActiveSupport::HashWithIndifferentAccess.new config_values
+          @config.deep_symbolize_keys
+        rescue Errno::ENOENT
+          raise ConfigurationError, 'Missing browse_everything_providers.yml configuration file'
+        end
       else
         raise InitializationError, "Unrecognized configuration: #{value.inspect}"
       end
diff --git a/spec/lib/browse_everything_spec.rb b/spec/lib/browse_everything_spec.rb
index 0be005c0..5963a686 100644
--- a/spec/lib/browse_everything_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/browse_everything_spec.rb
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@
 
       it_behaves_like 'a configured BrowseEverything module'
     end
+
+    context 'without a YAML file' do
+      let(:config) { '' }
+      it 'raises a configuration error' do
+        expect { described_class.configure(:config).to raise_error(BrowseEverything::ConfigurationError, 'Missing browse_everything_providers.yml configuration file') }
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   context 'with an unsupported or invalid configuration' do