diff --git a/bin/update-metadata.in b/bin/update-metadata.in
index 992580f341b55b65f8ff4b880bcbeaff29526f3b..a5350a9874cec20f7ffd373d49d0e978a9f1c8b4 100755
--- a/bin/update-metadata.in
+++ b/bin/update-metadata.in
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ if (!$configuration) {
     die Config::Tiny->errstr() . "\n";
 }
 
+die "no database defined in configuration, aborting\n"
+    if !$configuration->{database};
+
+die "no federation defined in configuration, aborting\n"
+    if !$configuration->{federations};
+
 AccountManager::DB->register_db(
     driver   => $configuration->{database}->{type},
     database => $configuration->{database}->{name},