Index: configf.scm
==================================================================
--- configf.scm
+++ configf.scm
@@ -219,18 +219,20 @@
     (let ((configdat  (if configfile (read-config configfile #f #t environ-patt: environ-patt) #f))) ;; (make-hash-table))))
       (if toppath (change-directory curr-dir))
       (list configdat toppath configfile fname))))
 
 (define (config-lookup cfgdat section var)
-  (let ((sectdat (hash-table-ref/default cfgdat section '())))
-    (if (null? sectdat)
-	#f
-	(let ((match (assoc var sectdat)))
-	  (if match ;; (and match (list? match)(> (length match) 1))
-	      (cadr match)
-	      #f))
-	)))
+  (if (hash-table? cfgdat)
+      (let ((sectdat (hash-table-ref/default cfgdat section '())))
+	(if (null? sectdat)
+	    #f
+	    (let ((match (assoc var sectdat)))
+	      (if match ;; (and match (list? match)(> (length match) 1))
+		  (cadr match)
+		  #f))
+	    ))
+      #f))
 
 (define (configf:section-vars cfgdat section)
   (let ((sectdat (hash-table-ref/default cfgdat section '())))
     (if (null? sectdat)
 	'()

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -209,12 +209,15 @@
     ;; now add non-directly referenced dependencies (i.e. waiton)
     (if (not (null? test-names))
 	(let loop ((hed (car test-names))
 		   (tal (cdr test-names)))         ;; 'return-procs tells the config reader to prep running system but return a proc
 	  (let* ((config  (tests:get-testconfig hed 'return-procs))
-		 (waitons (string-split (let ((w (config-lookup config "requirements" "waiton")))
-					  (if w w "")))))
+		 (waitons (if config (string-split (let ((w (config-lookup config "requirements" "waiton")))
+						     (if w w "")))
+			      (begin
+				(debug:print 0 "ERROR: non-existant required test \"" hed "\"")
+				(exit 1)))))
 	    ;; check for hed in waitons => this would be circular, remove it and issue an
 	    ;; error
 	    (if (member hed waitons)
 		(begin
 		  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: test " hed " has listed itself as a waiton, please correct this!")

Index: tests/fullrun/tests/all_toplevel/testconfig
==================================================================
--- tests/fullrun/tests/all_toplevel/testconfig
+++ tests/fullrun/tests/all_toplevel/testconfig
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 [ezsteps]
 calcresults megatest -list-runs $MT_RUNNAME -target $MT_TARGET
 
 [requirements]
-waiton all_toplevel exit_0 exit_1 ez_exit2_fail ez_fail ez_pass ezlog_fail ezlog_fail_then_pass ezlog_pass ezlog_warn lineitem_fail lineitem_pass logpro_required_fail manual_example neverrun priority_1 priority_10 priority_10_waiton_1 priority_2 priority_3 priority_4 priority_5 priority_6 priority_7 priority_8 priority_9 runfirst singletest singletest2 sqlitespeed2 test_mt_vars 
+waiton all_toplevel exit_0 exit_1 ez_exit2_fail ez_fail ez_pass ezlog_fail ezlog_fail_then_pass ezlog_pass ezlog_warn lineitem_fail lineitem_pass logpro_required_fail manual_example neverrun priority_1 priority_10 priority_10_waiton_1 priority_2 priority_3 priority_4 priority_5 priority_6 priority_7 priority_8 priority_9 runfirst singletest singletest2 sqlitespeed test_mt_vars 
 
 # This is a "toplevel" test, it does not require waitons to be non-FAIL to run
 mode toplevel