diff --git a/src/common/iop_profile.c b/src/common/iop_profile.c
index 9487e50e6fde..137f7478ef62 100644
--- a/src/common/iop_profile.c
+++ b/src/common/iop_profile.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "common/debug.h"
 #include "common/imagebuf.h"
 #include "common/matrices.h"
+#include "control/control.h"
 #include "develop/imageop.h"
 #include "develop/imageop_math.h"
 #include "develop/pixelpipe.h"
@@ -672,15 +673,20 @@ static gboolean _ioppr_generate_profile_info(dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *pro
                                              const char *filename,
                                              const int intent)
 {
-  gboolean error = FALSE;
-  cmsHPROFILE *rgb_profile = NULL;
-
   _mark_as_nonmatrix_profile(profile_info);
   _clear_lut_curves(profile_info);
 
   profile_info->nonlinearlut = 0;
   profile_info->grey = 0.1842f;
 
+  if(type == DT_COLORSPACE_FILE
+    && (!filename || !filename[0] || !g_file_test(filename, G_FILE_TEST_IS_REGULAR)))
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_PARAMS, "[generate_profile_info] icc profile '%s' not available",
+      filename ? filename : "???");
+    return TRUE;
+  }
+
   profile_info->type = type;
   g_strlcpy(profile_info->filename, filename, sizeof(profile_info->filename));
   profile_info->intent = intent;
@@ -690,22 +696,14 @@ static gboolean _ioppr_generate_profile_info(dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *pro
 
   const dt_colorspaces_color_profile_t *profile =
     dt_colorspaces_get_profile(type, filename, DT_PROFILE_DIRECTION_ANY);
-  if(profile)
-    rgb_profile = profile->profile;
+
+  cmsHPROFILE *rgb_profile = profile ? profile->profile : NULL;;
 
   if(type == DT_COLORSPACE_DISPLAY || type == DT_COLORSPACE_DISPLAY2)
     pthread_rwlock_unlock(&darktable.color_profiles->xprofile_lock);
 
   cmsColorSpaceSignature rgb_profile_color_space = rgb_profile ? cmsGetColorSpace(rgb_profile) : 0;
 
-  if(filename[0])
-    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_PIPE, "[generate_profile_info] profile `%s': color space `%c%c%c%c'",
-      filename,
-      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>24),
-      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>16),
-      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>8),
-      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space));
-
   // get the matrix
   if(rgb_profile)
   {
@@ -769,7 +767,17 @@ static gboolean _ioppr_generate_profile_info(dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *pro
                                                            profile_info->nonlinearlut);
   }
 
-  return error;
+  if(type == DT_COLORSPACE_FILE)
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_PIPE, "[generate_profile_info] profile `%s': color space %c%c%c%c%s%s",
+      filename,
+      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>24),
+      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>16),
+      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space>>8),
+      (char)(rgb_profile_color_space),
+      dt_is_valid_colormatrix(profile_info->matrix_in[0][0]) ? "" : " NO matrix provided",
+      profile_info->nonlinearlut ? " nonlinearlut" : "");
+
+  return FALSE;
 }
 
 dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *
@@ -871,6 +879,9 @@ dt_ioppr_set_pipe_work_profile_info(struct dt_develop_t *dev,
   dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *profile_info =
     dt_ioppr_add_profile_info_to_list(dev, type, filename, intent);
 
+  if(!profile_info && (pipe->type & DT_DEV_PIXELPIPE_PREVIEW) && (type == DT_COLORSPACE_FILE))
+      dt_control_log(_("work icc profile '%s' missing"), filename);
+
   if(profile_info == NULL
      || !dt_is_valid_colormatrix(profile_info->matrix_in[0][0])
      || !dt_is_valid_colormatrix(profile_info->matrix_out[0][0]))
@@ -899,6 +910,9 @@ dt_ioppr_set_pipe_input_profile_info(struct dt_develop_t *dev,
 
   if(profile_info == NULL)
   {
+    if((pipe->type & DT_DEV_PIXELPIPE_PREVIEW) && (type == DT_COLORSPACE_FILE))
+      dt_control_log(_("input icc profile '%s' missing"), filename);
+
     dt_print(DT_DEBUG_PIPE,
              "[dt_ioppr_set_pipe_input_profile_info] profile `%s' in `%s'"
              " replaced by linear Rec2020",
@@ -932,6 +946,9 @@ dt_ioppr_set_pipe_output_profile_info(struct dt_develop_t *dev,
   dt_iop_order_iccprofile_info_t *profile_info =
     dt_ioppr_add_profile_info_to_list(dev, type, filename, intent);
 
+  if(!profile_info && (pipe->type & DT_DEV_PIXELPIPE_PREVIEW) && (type == DT_COLORSPACE_FILE))
+    dt_control_log(_("output icc profile '%s' missing"), filename);
+
   if(profile_info == NULL
      || !dt_is_valid_colormatrix(profile_info->matrix_in[0][0])
      || !dt_is_valid_colormatrix(profile_info->matrix_out[0][0]))