diff --git a/src/api/api.cpp b/src/api/api.cpp
index 55a56c52..6f5c789d 100644
--- a/src/api/api.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api.cpp
@@ -303,6 +303,9 @@ LOOT_API unsigned int loot_load_lists(loot_db db, const char * const masterlistP
             // We don't want to update the masterlist too.
             temp.MetadataList::Load(masterlistPath);
         }
+        else {
+            return c_error(loot_error_path_not_found, std::string("The given masterlist path does not exist: ") + masterlistPath);
+        }
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         return c_error(loot_error_parse_fail, e.what());
@@ -311,7 +314,10 @@ LOOT_API unsigned int loot_load_lists(loot_db db, const char * const masterlistP
     try {
         if (userlistPath != nullptr) {
             if (boost::filesystem::exists(userlistPath)) {
-                userTemp.Load(masterlistPath);
+                userTemp.Load(userlistPath);
+            }
+            else {
+                return c_error(loot_error_path_not_found, std::string("The given userlist path does not exist: ") + userlistPath);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/tests/api/api.h b/src/tests/api/api.h
index 9b3894f3..2d306a58 100644
--- a/src/tests/api/api.h
+++ b/src/tests/api/api.h
@@ -149,12 +149,13 @@ TEST_F(OblivionAPIOperationsTest, LoadLists) {
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_load_lists(NULL, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), NULL));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_load_lists(db, NULL, NULL));
 
+    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_path_not_found, loot_load_lists(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), NULL));
     bool updated;
     ASSERT_EQ(loot_ok, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", &updated));
-    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_path_not_found, loot_load_lists(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), NULL));
-    
-    ASSERT_NO_THROW(boost::filesystem::copy(masterlistPath, userlistPath));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_path_not_found, loot_load_lists(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), userlistPath.string().c_str()));
+
+    ASSERT_NO_THROW(boost::filesystem::copy(masterlistPath, userlistPath));
+    EXPECT_EQ(loot_ok, loot_load_lists(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), userlistPath.string().c_str()));
 }
 
 TEST_F(OblivionAPIOperationsTest, EvalLists) {