diff --git a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractDatastorePlugin.java b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractDatastorePlugin.java
index 34d284505296c375a5e70c259dfdb48057bd1332..126242cbd23cf999a8fe0af84e33a1bf3ae5282d 100644
--- a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractDatastorePlugin.java
+++ b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/plugins/standard/AbstractDatastorePlugin.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.util.Properties;
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.exceptions.ConfigurationFailureException;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.exceptions.EnvironmentFailureException;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.shared.dto.DatasetDescription;
 
@@ -43,7 +44,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractDatastorePlugin implements Serializable
 
     protected AbstractDatastorePlugin(Properties properties, File storeRoot)
     {
-        assert storeRoot.exists() : "storeRoot does not exist " + storeRoot;
+        if (storeRoot.exists() == false)
+        {
+            throw ConfigurationFailureException.fromTemplate("Store root '%s' does not exist.",
+                    storeRoot);
+        }
 
         this.storeRoot = storeRoot;
         this.properties = properties;