diff --git a/songbook_core/build.py b/songbook_core/build.py
index 1c910d81..c4ca638f 100755
--- a/songbook_core/build.py
+++ b/songbook_core/build.py
@@ -137,7 +137,10 @@ class Songbook(object):
 
         abs_datadir = []
         for path in self.config['datadir']:
-            abs_datadir.append(os.path.abspath(path))
+            if os.path.exists(path) and os.path.isdir(path):
+                abs_datadir.append(os.path.abspath(path))
+            else:
+                LOGGER.warning("Ignoring non-existent datadir '{}'.".format(path))
 
         abs_datadir.append(__DATADIR__)