diff --git a/lib/bb/fetch2/__init__.py b/lib/bb/fetch2/__init__.py
index ac557176..5f05278a 100644
--- a/lib/bb/fetch2/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/bb/fetch2/__init__.py
@@ -1233,7 +1233,9 @@ def get_checksum_file_list(d):
                 if f.startswith(dl_dir):
                     # The local fetcher's behaviour is to return a path under DL_DIR if it couldn't find the file anywhere else
                     if os.path.exists(f):
-                        bb.warn("Getting checksum for %s SRC_URI entry %s: file not found except in DL_DIR" % (d.getVar('PN'), os.path.basename(f)))
+                        bb.fatal(("Getting checksum for %s SRC_URI entry %s: file not found except in DL_DIR."
+                            " This means there is no way to get the file except for an orphaned copy"
+                            " in DL_DIR.") % (d.getVar('PN'), os.path.basename(f)))
                     else:
                         bb.warn("Unable to get checksum for %s SRC_URI entry %s: file could not be found" % (d.getVar('PN'), os.path.basename(f)))
                 filelist.append(f + ":" + str(os.path.exists(f)))
diff --git a/lib/bb/tests/fetch.py b/lib/bb/tests/fetch.py
index ee41bff4..3ebd9fd7 100644
--- a/lib/bb/tests/fetch.py
+++ b/lib/bb/tests/fetch.py
@@ -693,6 +693,13 @@ class FetcherLocalTest(FetcherTest):
         flst.sort()
         return flst
 
+    def test_local_checksum_fails_if_only_in_dldir(self):
+        with open(os.path.join(self.dldir, "on_dl_dir"), "wb"):
+            pass
+        self.d.setVar("SRC_URI", "file://on_dl_dir")
+        with self.assertRaises(bb.BBHandledException):
+            bb.fetch.get_checksum_file_list(self.d)
+
     def test_local(self):
         tree = self.fetchUnpack(['file://a', 'file://dir/c'])
         self.assertEqual(tree, ['a', 'dir/c'])