diff --git a/fed/mosaic-omnetpp/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/fed/omnetpp/ambassador/OmnetppAmbassador.java b/fed/mosaic-omnetpp/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/fed/omnetpp/ambassador/OmnetppAmbassador.java
index f39a50479..3df36690a 100644
--- a/fed/mosaic-omnetpp/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/fed/omnetpp/ambassador/OmnetppAmbassador.java
+++ b/fed/mosaic-omnetpp/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/fed/omnetpp/ambassador/OmnetppAmbassador.java
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.ObjectUtils;
 
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 
 /**
@@ -43,8 +46,11 @@ public OmnetppAmbassador(AmbassadorParameter ambassadorParameter) {
 
     @Nonnull
     @Override
-    public FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, OperatingSystem os) {
-        String omnetppConfigFileName = ObjectUtils.defaultIfNull(config.federateConfigurationFile, "omnetpp.ini");
+    public FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, OperatingSystem os) throws FileNotFoundException {
+        String omnetppConfigFileName = ObjectUtils.defaultIfNull(config.federateConfigurationFile, "omnetpp.ini"); // default // this one is required
+        if(!Files.exists(Paths.get(this.ambassadorParameter.configuration.getParent(), omnetppConfigFileName))) {
+            throw new FileNotFoundException(omnetppConfigFileName + " missing");
+        }
         String omnetppConfigFilePath = "omnetpp-federate/simulations/" + omnetppConfigFileName;
         String inetSourceDirectories = "inet:omnetpp-federate/src";
         switch (os) {
diff --git a/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/AbstractFederateAmbassador.java b/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/AbstractFederateAmbassador.java
index 267bc026f..522c59da0 100644
--- a/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/AbstractFederateAmbassador.java
+++ b/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/AbstractFederateAmbassador.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.concurrent.PriorityBlockingQueue;
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ public DockerFederateExecutor createDockerFederateExecutor(String imageName, CLo
      */
     @Nonnull
     @Override
-    public FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, CLocalHost.OperatingSystem os) {
+    public FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, CLocalHost.OperatingSystem os) throws FileNotFoundException {
         log.trace("createFederateStarter(String host, int port, CLocalHost.OperatingSystem os); host: {}, port: {}, os: {}", host, port, os);
         return new NopFederateExecutor();
     }
diff --git a/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/FederateAmbassador.java b/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/FederateAmbassador.java
index 5cbe19fde..4584318fd 100644
--- a/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/FederateAmbassador.java
+++ b/rti/mosaic-rti-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/rti/api/FederateAmbassador.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.mosaic.rti.api.parameters.FederateDescriptor;
 import org.eclipse.mosaic.rti.config.CLocalHost.OperatingSystem;
 
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ public interface FederateAmbassador extends Comparable<FederateAmbassador> {
      * @return the {@link FederateExecutor} which starts the federate
      */
     @Nonnull
-    FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, OperatingSystem os);
+    FederateExecutor createFederateExecutor(String host, int port, OperatingSystem os) throws FileNotFoundException;
 
     /**
      * If the federate or simulator can be executed as a docker container, this method returns a
diff --git a/rti/mosaic-starter/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/starter/MosaicSimulation.java b/rti/mosaic-starter/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/starter/MosaicSimulation.java
index 7fee54243..7466ee760 100644
--- a/rti/mosaic-starter/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/starter/MosaicSimulation.java
+++ b/rti/mosaic-starter/src/main/java/org/eclipse/mosaic/starter/MosaicSimulation.java
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ private FederateDescriptor loadFederate(Path scenarioDirectory, CRuntime.CFedera
         return descriptor;
     }
 
-    private void initializeFederate(CRuntime.CFederate federate, FederateDescriptor descriptor) {
+    private void initializeFederate(CRuntime.CFederate federate, FederateDescriptor descriptor) throws FileNotFoundException {
 
         final FederateAmbassador ambassador = descriptor.getAmbassador();
         final CLocalHost host = descriptor.getHost();