diff --git a/meta/classes-global/package_rpm.bbclass b/meta/classes-global/package_rpm.bbclass
index 474d2491eb..ddc4bf3a6a 100644
--- a/meta/classes-global/package_rpm.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-global/package_rpm.bbclass
@@ -201,14 +201,22 @@ python write_specfile () {
                 try:
                     owner = pwd.getpwuid(stat_f.st_uid).pw_name
                 except Exception as e:
-                    bb.error("Content of /etc/passwd in sysroot:\n{}".format(
-                        open(d.getVar("RECIPE_SYSROOT") +"/etc/passwd").read()))
+                    filename = d.getVar('RECIPE_SYSROOT') + '/etc/passwd'
+                    if os.path.exists(filename):
+                        bb.error("Content of /etc/passwd in sysroot:\n{}".format(
+                            open(filename).read()))
+                    else:
+                        bb.error("File {} doesn't exist in sysroot!".format(filename))
                     raise e
                 try:
                     group = grp.getgrgid(stat_f.st_gid).gr_name
                 except Exception as e:
-                    bb.error("Content of /etc/group in sysroot:\n{}".format(
-                        open(d.getVar("RECIPE_SYSROOT") +"/etc/group").read()))
+                    filename = d.getVar("RECIPE_SYSROOT") +"/etc/group"
+                    if os.path.exists(filename):
+                        bb.error("Content of /etc/group in sysroot:\n{}".format(
+                            open(filename).read()))
+                    else:
+                        bb.error("File {} doesn't exists in sysroot!".format(filename))
                     raise e
                 return "%attr({:o},{},{}) ".format(mode, owner, group)