diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index ffdd1f50..8e002e2b 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+    - update fetch function to give proper warning when fetching a non-readable
+      or non-existant file (Monte)
     - fixed problem with newline at the end of included templates (Monte, Andrei)
     - added feature to regenerate cache if compile_check is enabled and an
       involved template or config file gets modified (Monte)
diff --git a/Smarty.addons.php b/Smarty.addons.php
index dcc2f988..d80ce880 100644
--- a/Smarty.addons.php
+++ b/Smarty.addons.php
@@ -572,10 +572,14 @@ function smarty_func_fetch($args, &$smarty_obj) {
 			}
 		}
 		if (!$resource_is_secure) {
-        	$smarty_obj->_trigger_error_msg("(secure mode) fetching '$file' is not allowed");
+        	$smarty_obj->_trigger_error_msg("(secure mode) fetch '$file' is not allowed");
         	return;
-		}				
+		}
 	}
+	if (!@is_readable($file)) {
+    	$smarty_obj->_trigger_error_msg("fetch cannot read file '$file'");
+    	return;			
+	}				
 
     readfile($file);
 }