diff --git a/cartographer/common/configuration_file_resolver.cc b/cartographer/common/configuration_file_resolver.cc
index 9774caf..3c2fd10 100644
--- a/cartographer/common/configuration_file_resolver.cc
+++ b/cartographer/common/configuration_file_resolver.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ std::string ConfigurationFileResolver::GetFullPathOrDie(
 
 std::string ConfigurationFileResolver::GetFileContentOrDie(
     const std::string& basename) {
+  CHECK(!basename.empty()) << "File basename cannot be empty." << basename;
   const std::string filename = GetFullPathOrDie(basename);
   std::ifstream stream(filename.c_str());
   return std::string((std::istreambuf_iterator<char>(stream)),