Index: src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/GeoImageLayer.java
===================================================================
--- src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/GeoImageLayer.java	(revision 1588)
+++ src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/GeoImageLayer.java	(working copy)
@@ -249,6 +249,10 @@
         currentImage = i;
         final JPanel p = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
         final ImageEntry e = data.get(currentImage);
+        if (! (e.image.exists() && e.image.canRead())) {
+            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(Main.parent, tr("Image with path {0} does not exist or is not readable", e.image), "Warning", JOptionPane.WARNING_MESSAGE);
+            return;
+         }
         final JScrollPane scroll = new JScrollPane(new JLabel(loadScaledImage(e.image, 580)));
         final JViewport vp = scroll.getViewport();
         p.add(scroll, BorderLayout.CENTER);
@@ -273,7 +277,7 @@
                 p.setCursor(Cursor.getPredefinedCursor(Cursor.WAIT_CURSOR));
                 if (scale.getModel().isSelected())
                     ((JLabel)vp.getView()).setIcon(loadScaledImage(e.image, Math.max(vp.getWidth(), vp.getHeight())));
-                else
+                else 
                     ((JLabel)vp.getView()).setIcon(new ImageIcon(e.image.getPath()));
                 p.setCursor(Cursor.getDefaultCursor());
             }