diff --git a/xorriso/iso_tree.c b/xorriso/iso_tree.c
index 16305b34..8ee7bf8c 100644
--- a/xorriso/iso_tree.c
+++ b/xorriso/iso_tree.c
@@ -2796,3 +2796,86 @@ int Xorriso_is_plain_image_file(struct XorrisO *xorriso, void *in_node,
  return(0);
 }
 
+
+/*
+  Check for existence of a data file at given path. Complain if it is missing.
+  @param prefix   is printed directly before purpose, no blank inbetween
+  @param purpose  is printed up to first '=' character
+  @param path     ISO or disk file path
+  @param flag     bit0= check on disk (else in ISO)
+*/
+int Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *prefix,
+                              char *purpose, char *path, int flag)
+{
+ int ret;
+ char *where, *ept;
+ struct stat stbuf;
+
+ if(flag & 1) {
+   where= "on disk";
+   ret= Sfile_type(path, 1 | 4 | 16);
+   if(ret == 1 || ret == 6)
+     return(1);
+ } else {
+   where= "in ISO image";
+   ret= Xorriso_iso_lstat(xorriso, path, &stbuf, 0);
+   if(ret == 0) {
+     if(S_ISREG(stbuf.st_mode) || S_ISBLK(stbuf.st_mode))
+       return(0);
+   }
+ }
+ /* Not found or not data file or block device */
+ sprintf(xorriso->info_text, "%s%s", prefix, purpose);
+ ept= strchr(xorriso->info_text + strlen(prefix), '=');
+ if(ept != NULL)
+   *(ept + 1)= 0;
+ if(ret == -1) {
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text + strlen(xorriso->info_text),
+           " : path does not yet exist %s : ", where); 
+ } else {
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text + strlen(xorriso->info_text),
+           " : path exists %s but is not a usable file type : ", where); 
+ }
+ Text_shellsafe(path, xorriso->info_text, 1);
+ Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "WARNING", 0);
+ return(0);
+}
+
+
+/*
+  Check for existence of a file at given path. Complain if it exists but is
+  not a boot catalog file.
+  @param prefix   is printed directly before purpose, no blank inbetween
+  @param purpose  is printed up to first '=' character
+  @param path     ISO file path
+*/
+int Xorriso_warn_if_not_bootcat(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *prefix,
+                                char *purpose, char *path, int flag)
+{
+ int ret;
+ char *where, *ept;
+ IsoImage *volume;
+ IsoNode *node;
+
+ where= "in ISO image";
+
+ ret= Xorriso_get_volume(xorriso, &volume, 0);
+ if(ret <= 0)
+     return(-1);
+ ret= Xorriso_node_from_path(xorriso, volume, path, &node, 1);
+ if(ret <= 0)
+   return(1);
+ if(LIBISO_ISBOOT(node))
+   return(2);
+ sprintf(xorriso->info_text, "%s%s", prefix, purpose);
+ ept= strchr(xorriso->info_text + strlen(prefix), '=');
+ if(ept != NULL)
+   *(ept + 1)= 0;
+ sprintf(xorriso->info_text + strlen(xorriso->info_text),
+         " : path exists %s but is currently not a boot catalog file : ",
+         where); 
+ Text_shellsafe(path, xorriso->info_text, 1);
+ Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "WARNING", 0);
+ return(0);
+}
+
diff --git a/xorriso/opts_a_c.c b/xorriso/opts_a_c.c
index e3db0f55..6879da1c 100644
--- a/xorriso/opts_a_c.c
+++ b/xorriso/opts_a_c.c
@@ -869,6 +869,8 @@ treatment_patch:;
                                      xorriso->boot_image_cat_path, 2);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_bootcat(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                               xorriso->boot_image_cat_path, 0);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "cat_hidden=", 11) == 0) {
@@ -912,6 +914,10 @@ treatment_patch:;
      xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
      xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= (xorriso->patch_isolinux_image & ~3) | 1;
      strcpy(xorriso->boot_image_bin_form, formpt);
+     Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "Implicit boot image via -boot_image ",
+                               treatment, xorriso->boot_image_bin_path, 0);
+     Xorriso_warn_if_not_bootcat(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                                 xorriso->boot_image_cat_path, 0);
      is_change= 1;
      {ret= 1; goto ex;}
 
@@ -946,6 +952,8 @@ interval_text_long:;
                                      xorriso->boot_image_bin_path, 2);
      if(ret <= 0)
        goto ex;
+     Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ",
+                               treatment, xorriso->boot_image_bin_path, 0);
    }
    xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
    if(isolinux_grub) {
@@ -974,6 +982,8 @@ interval_text_long:;
                                    xorriso->boot_image_bin_path, 2);
      if(ret <= 0)
        goto ex;
+     Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ",
+                               treatment, xorriso->boot_image_bin_path, 0);
    }
    xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
    xorriso->boot_efi_default= 1;
@@ -991,6 +1001,7 @@ interval_text_long:;
    ret= Xorriso_add_mips_boot_file(xorriso, eff_path, 0);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment, eff_path, 0);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "mipsel_path=", 12) == 0) {
@@ -1005,6 +1016,7 @@ interval_text_long:;
    ret= Xorriso_add_mips_boot_file(xorriso, eff_path, 2);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment, eff_path, 0);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strcmp(treatpt, "mips_discard") == 0 ||
@@ -1033,6 +1045,8 @@ interval_text_long:;
                                      xorriso->grub2_sparc_core, 2);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                             xorriso->grub2_sparc_core, 0);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "hppa_", 5) == 0) {
@@ -1059,6 +1073,7 @@ interval_text_long:;
    ret= Xorriso_set_hppa_boot_parm(xorriso, eqpt + 1, parm, 0);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   /* (needs no file existence check because already done in libisofs) */
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "alpha_boot=", 11) == 0) {
@@ -1069,6 +1084,8 @@ interval_text_long:;
    ret = Xorriso_set_alpha_boot(xorriso, treatpt + 11, 0);
    if(ret <= 0)
      goto ex;
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                             treatpt + 11, 0);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "boot_info_table=", 16)==0) {
@@ -1142,6 +1159,7 @@ interval_text_long:;
    if(strcmp(treatpt + 12, ".") == 0) {
      ret= Xorriso_set_system_area_path(xorriso, "", 0);
    } else {
+     /* (checks also for existence of the disk file) */
      ret= Xorriso_set_system_area_path(xorriso, treatpt + 12, 0);
    }
    if(ret <= 0)
@@ -1393,11 +1411,15 @@ interval_text_long:;
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "efi_boot_part=", 14) == 0) {
    if(Sfile_str(xorriso->efi_boot_partition, treatpt + 14, 0) <= 0)
      {ret= -1; goto ex;}
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                             treatpt + 14, 1);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "prep_boot_part=", 15) == 0) {
    if(Sfile_str(xorriso->prep_partition, treatpt + 15, 0) <= 0)
      {ret= -1; goto ex;}
+   Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(xorriso, "-boot_image ", treatment,
+                             treatpt + 15, 1);
    is_change= 1;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "chrp_boot_part=", 15) == 0) {
@@ -1462,6 +1484,7 @@ interval_text_long:;
    if(strcmp(treatpt + 10, ".") == 0) {
      ret= Xorriso_set_system_area_path(xorriso, "", 0);
    } else {
+     /* (checks also for existence of the disk file) */
      ret= Xorriso_set_system_area_path(xorriso, treatpt + 10, 0);
    }
    if(ret <= 0)
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
index 9b57d962..fce27dcd 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
@@ -1 +1 @@
-#define Xorriso_timestamP "2024.04.27.165316"
+#define Xorriso_timestamP "2024.05.12.153800"
diff --git a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.h b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.h
index a5b48638..84834147 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.h
@@ -686,5 +686,12 @@ int Xorriso_conv_name_chars(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *name,
                             char **result, size_t *result_len,
                             int name_space, int flag);
 
+int Xorriso_warn_if_not_exist(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *prefix,
+                              char *purpose, char *path, int flag);
+
+int Xorriso_warn_if_not_bootcat(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *prefix,
+                                char *purpose, char *path, int flag);
+
+
 #endif /* Xorrisoburn_includeD */