diff --git a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantutils/SelectVariantsIntegrationTest.java b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantutils/SelectVariantsIntegrationTest.java
index 21b069343..a8a479e2e 100644
--- a/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantutils/SelectVariantsIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/protected/gatk-tools-protected/src/test/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/tools/walkers/variantutils/SelectVariantsIntegrationTest.java
@@ -428,4 +428,64 @@ public class SelectVariantsIntegrationTest extends WalkerTest {
         );
         executeTest(String.format("testUnusedAlleleTrimming: (%s,%s)", new File(vcf).getName(), extraArgs), spec);
     }
+
+    /**
+     *  Test with an empty VCF file
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testEmptyVcfException(){
+        String testfile = privateTestDir + "reallyEmpty.vcf";
+
+        WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
+                "-T SelectVariants" +
+                        " -R " + b36KGReference +
+                        " -V " + testfile +
+                        " -o %s --no_cmdline_in_header",
+                1,
+                UserException.CommandLineException.class
+        );
+        spec.disableShadowBCF();
+
+        executeTest("testEmptyVcfException--" + testfile, spec);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test with a VCF file that is not a file
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testNotFileVcfException(){
+        String testfile = privateTestDir;
+
+        WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
+                "-T SelectVariants" +
+                        " -R " + b36KGReference +
+                        " -V " + testfile +
+                        " -o %s --no_cmdline_in_header",
+                1,
+                UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile.class
+        );
+        spec.disableShadowBCF();
+
+        executeTest("testNotFileVcfException--" + testfile, spec);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test with a VCF file that does not exist
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testMissingVcfException(){
+        String testfile = "test.vcf";
+
+        WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(
+                "-T SelectVariants" +
+                        " -R " + b36KGReference +
+                        " -V " + testfile +
+                        " -o %s --no_cmdline_in_header",
+                1,
+                UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile.class
+        );
+        spec.disableShadowBCF();
+
+        executeTest("testMissingVcfException--" + testfile, spec);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/public/gatk-utils/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/utils/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java b/public/gatk-utils/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/utils/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
index a1052261e..944858f55 100644
--- a/public/gatk-utils/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/utils/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/public/gatk-utils/src/main/java/org/broadinstitute/gatk/utils/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@
 package org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.commandline;
 
 import htsjdk.tribble.AbstractFeatureReader;
-import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import htsjdk.tribble.Feature;
-import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.refdata.tracks.FeatureManager;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.classloader.JVMUtils;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.exceptions.DynamicClassResolutionException;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.exceptions.ReviewedGATKException;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.exceptions.UserException;
+import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.refdata.tracks.FeatureManager;
 import org.broadinstitute.gatk.utils.text.XReadLines;
 
 import java.io.File;
@@ -396,13 +396,13 @@ public abstract class ArgumentTypeDescriptor {
                         }
 
                         if ( ! file.exists() ) {
-                            throw new UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile(file, "file does not exist");
+                            throw new UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile(file, "file \'"+ file + "\' does not exist");
                         } else if ( ! file.canRead() || ! file.isFile() ) {
-                            throw new UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile(file, "file could not be read");
+                            throw new UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile(file, "file \'"+ file + "\' could not be read");
                         } else {
                             throw new UserException.CommandLineException(
-                                    String.format("No tribble type was provided on the command line and the type of the file could not be determined dynamically. " +
-                                            "Please add an explicit type tag :NAME listing the correct type from among the supported types:%n%s",
+                                    String.format("No tribble type was provided on the command line and the type of the file \'"+ file + "\' could not be determined dynamically. " +
+                                                    "Please add an explicit type tag :NAME listing the correct type from among the supported types:%n%s",
                                             manager.userFriendlyListOfAvailableFeatures(parameterType)));
                         }
                     }