diff --git a/CMakeLists_files.cmake b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
index b5af3d043..1f8ef5a57 100644
--- a/CMakeLists_files.cmake
+++ b/CMakeLists_files.cmake
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ if(ENABLE_ECL_INPUT)
     tests/UDQ_WCONPROD_GRID.grdecl
     tests/UDQ_WCONPROD_RESTART.DATA
     tests/UDQ_WCONPROD.X0006
+    tests/BASE.UNRST
   )
   list (APPEND EXAMPLE_SOURCE_FILES
     examples/opmi.cpp
diff --git a/src/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp b/src/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
index e94ec1160..5735eec3b 100644
--- a/src/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
+++ b/src/opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@
 #include <opm/common/OpmLog/InfoLogger.hpp>
 #include <opm/common/OpmLog/LogUtil.hpp>
 #include <opm/common/utility/OpmInputError.hpp>
+#include <opm/common/utility/FileSystem.hpp>
 
 #include <opm/io/eclipse/rst/aquifer.hpp>
+#include <opm/io/eclipse/ERst.hpp>
 
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckSection.hpp>
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/Deck.hpp>
@@ -151,6 +153,21 @@ AquiferConfig load_aquifers(const Deck& deck, const TableManager& tables, NNC& i
         if (deck.hasKeyword( "MICPPARA" )) {
           this->initPara(deck);
         }
+
+        const auto& init_config = this->getInitConfig();
+        if (init_config.restartRequested()) {
+            const auto& io_config = this->getIOConfig();
+            const int report_step = init_config.getRestartStep();
+            const auto& restart_file = io_config.getRestartFileName( init_config.getRestartRootName(), report_step, false);
+            if (!filesystem::exists(restart_file))
+                throw std::logic_error(fmt::format("The restart file: {} does not exist", restart_file));
+
+            if (io_config.getUNIFIN()) {
+                EclIO::ERst rst{restart_file};
+                if (!rst.hasReportStepNumber(report_step))
+                    throw std::logic_error(fmt::format("Report step: {} not found in restart file: {}", report_step, restart_file));
+            }
+        }
     }
     catch (const OpmInputError& opm_error) {
         OpmLog::error(opm_error.what());
diff --git a/tests/BASE.UNRST b/tests/BASE.UNRST
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7bdf08bdf
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/BASE.UNRST differ
diff --git a/tests/parser/InitConfigTest.cpp b/tests/parser/InitConfigTest.cpp
index c1aa65792..3b512e944 100644
--- a/tests/parser/InitConfigTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/parser/InitConfigTest.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,76 @@
 
 using namespace Opm;
 
+
+const std::string full_deck1 = R"(
+START
+7 OCT 2020 /
+
+RUNSPEC
+
+DIMENS
+  10 10 3 /
+
+UNIFIN
+
+GRID
+DXV
+  10*100.0 /
+DYV
+  10*100.0 /
+DZV
+  3*10.0 /
+
+DEPTHZ
+  121*2000.0 /
+
+PORO
+  300*0.3 /
+
+SOLUTION
+
+RESTART
+  NOBASE 6 /
+
+SCHEDULE
+)";
+
+const std::string full_deck2 = R"(
+START
+7 OCT 2020 /
+
+RUNSPEC
+
+DIMENS
+  10 10 3 /
+
+UNIFIN
+
+GRID
+DXV
+  10*100.0 /
+DYV
+  10*100.0 /
+DZV
+  3*10.0 /
+
+DEPTHZ
+  121*2000.0 /
+
+PORO
+  300*0.3 /
+
+SOLUTION
+
+RESTART
+  BASE 6 /
+
+SCHEDULE
+)";
+
+
+
+
 const std::string& deckStr =
     "RUNSPEC\n"
     "DIMENS\n"
@@ -117,7 +187,22 @@ const std::string& deckWithEquil =
 
 static Deck createDeck(const std::string& input) {
     Opm::Parser parser;
-    return parser.parseString(input);
+    auto deck = parser.parseString(input);
+    // The call to setDataFile is completely bogus, it is just to ensure that a
+    // meaningfull path for the input file has been specified - so that we can
+    // locate restart files.
+    deck.setDataFile("SPE1CASE1.DATA");
+    return deck;
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(EclipseStateTest) {
+    Deck deck1 = createDeck(full_deck1);
+    // This throws because the restart file does not exist
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(EclipseState{deck1}, std::exception);
+
+    Deck deck2 = createDeck(full_deck2);
+    // This throws because the restart file does not contain the requested report step
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(EclipseState{deck2}, std::exception);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(InitConfigTest) {