diff --git a/tasks/webpack-dev-server.js b/tasks/webpack-dev-server.js
index fb443b4..9cccd28 100644
--- a/tasks/webpack-dev-server.js
+++ b/tasks/webpack-dev-server.js
@@ -57,10 +57,21 @@ npm install --save-dev webpack-dev-server
   grunt.registerTask('webpack-dev-server', 'Start a webpack-dev-server.', function webpackDevServerTask(cliTarget) {
     const done = this.async();
 
-    const targets = cliTarget ? [cliTarget] : Object.keys(grunt.config([this.name]));
+    const config = grunt.config([this.name]);
+    const targets = cliTarget
+      ? [cliTarget]
+      : config
+        ? Object.keys(config)
+        : [];
+
     let runningTargetCount = targets.length;
     let keepalive = false;
 
+    if (runningTargetCount === 0) {
+      done(new Error('No configuration was found for webpack-dev-server. For further assistance on how to create the config refer to https://github.com/webpack-contrib/grunt-webpack/blob/master/README.md#grunt-webpack'));
+      return;
+    }
+
     targets.forEach((target) => {
       if (target === 'options') {
         runningTargetCount--;
diff --git a/tasks/webpack.js b/tasks/webpack.js
index ef87c9a..8d84152 100644
--- a/tasks/webpack.js
+++ b/tasks/webpack.js
@@ -12,10 +12,20 @@ module.exports = (grunt) => {
   grunt.registerTask('webpack', 'Run webpack.', function webpackTask(cliTarget) {
     const done = this.async();
 
-    const targets = cliTarget ? [cliTarget] : Object.keys(grunt.config([this.name]));
+    const config = grunt.config([this.name]);
+    const targets = cliTarget
+      ? [cliTarget]
+      : config
+        ? Object.keys(config)
+        : [];
     let runningTargetCount = targets.length;
     let keepalive = false;
 
+    if (runningTargetCount === 0) {
+      done(new Error('No configuration was found for webpack. For further assistance on how to create the config refer to https://github.com/webpack-contrib/grunt-webpack/blob/master/README.md#grunt-webpack'));
+      return;
+    }
+
     targets.forEach((target) => {
       if (target === 'options') {
         runningTargetCount--;
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/Gruntfile.js b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/Gruntfile.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3289a58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/Gruntfile.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+const path = require('path');
+const loadGruntWebpackTasks = require('../../../utils/loadGruntWebpackTasks');
+
+module.exports = function (grunt) {
+  grunt.initConfig({});
+
+  loadGruntWebpackTasks(grunt);
+};
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/entry.js b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/entry.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..547d32a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/entry.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+console.log(okey);
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/exec.js b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/exec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67e54b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/webpack/no-config/exec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+assertGrunt.failed();
+
+t.regex(stdout, /No configuration was found for webpack./);