diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
index 7b591a88be..7fdf75682f 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Application/OpenSimBase.cs
@@ -207,19 +207,33 @@ namespace OpenSim
             IConfig simDataConfig = m_config.Source.Configs["SimulationDataStore"];
             if (simDataConfig == null)
                 throw new Exception("Configuration file is missing the [SimulationDataStore] section.  Have you copied OpenSim.ini.example to OpenSim.ini to reference config-include/ files?");
+
             string module = simDataConfig.GetString("LocalServiceModule", String.Empty);
             if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(module))
                 throw new Exception("Configuration file is missing the LocalServiceModule parameter in the [SimulationDataStore] section.");
+
             m_simulationDataService = ServerUtils.LoadPlugin<ISimulationDataService>(module, new object[] { m_config.Source });
+            if (m_simulationDataService == null)
+                throw new Exception(
+                    string.Format(
+                        "Could not load an ISimulationDataService implementation from {0}, as configured in the LocalServiceModule parameter of the [SimulationDataStore] config section.", 
+                        module));
 
             // Load the estate data service
             IConfig estateDataConfig = m_config.Source.Configs["EstateDataStore"];
             if (estateDataConfig == null)
                 throw new Exception("Configuration file is missing the [EstateDataStore] section.  Have you copied OpenSim.ini.example to OpenSim.ini to reference config-include/ files?");
+
             module = estateDataConfig.GetString("LocalServiceModule", String.Empty);
             if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(module))
                 throw new Exception("Configuration file is missing the LocalServiceModule parameter in the [EstateDataStore] section");
+
             m_estateDataService = ServerUtils.LoadPlugin<IEstateDataService>(module, new object[] { m_config.Source });
+            if (m_estateDataService == null)
+                throw new Exception(
+                    string.Format(
+                        "Could not load an IEstateDataService implementation from {0}, as configured in the LocalServiceModule parameter of the [EstateDataStore] config section.", 
+                        module));
 
             base.StartupSpecific();