diff --git a/tools/import-trace/AdvancedMemoryImporter.cc b/tools/import-trace/AdvancedMemoryImporter.cc
index 34209d12..338b8e75 100644
--- a/tools/import-trace/AdvancedMemoryImporter.cc
+++ b/tools/import-trace/AdvancedMemoryImporter.cc
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ bool AdvancedMemoryImporter::handle_ip_event(fail::simtime_t curtime, instructio
 		llvm::InitializeAllTargetMCs();
 		llvm::InitializeAllDisassemblers();
 
+		if (!m_elf) {
+			LOG << "Please give an ELF binary as parameter (-e/--elf)." << std::endl;
+			return false;
+		}
+
 		Expected<OwningBinary<Binary>> BinaryOrErr = createBinary(m_elf->getFilename());
 		if (!BinaryOrErr) {
 			std::string Buf;
diff --git a/tools/import-trace/ElfImporter.cc b/tools/import-trace/ElfImporter.cc
index c97b5970..329980ab 100644
--- a/tools/import-trace/ElfImporter.cc
+++ b/tools/import-trace/ElfImporter.cc
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ bool ElfImporter::create_database()
 bool ElfImporter::copy_to_database(ProtoIStream &ps)
 {
 	if (!m_elf) {
-		LOG << "please give an elf binary as parameter (-e/--elf)" << std::endl;
+		LOG << "Please give an ELF binary as parameter (-e/--elf)." << std::endl;
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/import-trace/InstructionImporter.cc b/tools/import-trace/InstructionImporter.cc
index de3cd91b..fd979a26 100644
--- a/tools/import-trace/InstructionImporter.cc
+++ b/tools/import-trace/InstructionImporter.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ bool InstructionImporter::handle_ip_event(fail::simtime_t curtime, instruction_c
 		llvm::InitializeAllTargetMCs();
 		llvm::InitializeAllDisassemblers();
 
+		if (!m_elf) {
+			LOG << "Please give an ELF binary as parameter (-e/--elf)." << std::endl;
+			return false;
+		}
+
 		Expected<OwningBinary<Binary>> BinaryOrErr = createBinary(m_elf->getFilename());
 		if (!BinaryOrErr) {
 			std::string Buf;
diff --git a/tools/import-trace/RegisterImporter.cc b/tools/import-trace/RegisterImporter.cc
index 8422b214..fd99d8a2 100644
--- a/tools/import-trace/RegisterImporter.cc
+++ b/tools/import-trace/RegisterImporter.cc
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@ bool RegisterImporter::handle_ip_event(fail::simtime_t curtime, instruction_coun
 		llvm::InitializeAllTargetMCs();
 		llvm::InitializeAllDisassemblers();
 
+		if (!m_elf) {
+			LOG << "Please give an ELF binary as parameter (-e/--elf)." << std::endl;
+			return false;
+		}
+
 		Expected<OwningBinary<Binary>> BinaryOrErr = createBinary(m_elf->getFilename());
 		if (!BinaryOrErr) {
 			std::string Buf;