diff --git a/src/iperf_api.c b/src/iperf_api.c
index 855c1c20d..ca1ad11ca 100644
--- a/src/iperf_api.c
+++ b/src/iperf_api.c
@@ -1150,6 +1150,7 @@ iperf_parse_arguments(struct iperf_test *test, int argc, char **argv)
     server_flag = client_flag = rate_flag = duration_flag = rcv_timeout_flag = snd_timeout_flag =0;
 #if defined(HAVE_SSL)
     char *client_username = NULL, *client_rsa_public_key = NULL, *server_rsa_private_key = NULL;
+    FILE *ptr_file;
 #endif /* HAVE_SSL */
 
     while ((flag = getopt_long(argc, argv, "p:f:i:D1VJvsc:ub:t:n:k:l:P:Rw:B:M:N46S:L:ZO:F:A:T:C:dI:hX:", longopts, NULL)) != -1) {
@@ -1684,7 +1685,18 @@ iperf_parse_arguments(struct iperf_test *test, int argc, char **argv)
         !(server_rsa_private_key && test->server_authorized_users)) {
          i_errno = IESETSERVERAUTH;
         return -1;
-    } else if (test->role == 's' && server_rsa_private_key) {
+    }
+
+    if (test->role == 's' && test->server_authorized_users) {
+        ptr_file =fopen(test->server_authorized_users, "r");
+        if (!ptr_file) {
+            i_errno = IESERVERAUTHUSERS;
+            return -1;
+        }
+        fclose(ptr_file);
+    }
+
+    if (test->role == 's' && server_rsa_private_key) {
         test->server_rsa_private_key = load_privkey_from_file(server_rsa_private_key);
         if (test->server_rsa_private_key == NULL){
             iperf_err(test, "%s\n", ERR_error_string(ERR_get_error(), NULL));
diff --git a/src/iperf_api.h b/src/iperf_api.h
index 093ea9700..0100d38fa 100644
--- a/src/iperf_api.h
+++ b/src/iperf_api.h
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ enum {
     IERVRSONLYRCVTIMEOUT = 32,  // Client receive timeout is valid only in reverse mode
     IESNDTIMEOUT = 33,      // Illegal message send timeout
     IEUDPFILETRANSFER = 34, // Cannot transfer file using UDP
+    IESERVERAUTHUSERS = 35,   // Cannot access authorized users file
     /* Test errors */
     IENEWTEST = 100,        // Unable to create a new test (check perror)
     IEINITTEST = 101,       // Test initialization failed (check perror)
diff --git a/src/iperf_error.c b/src/iperf_error.c
index f7cae638e..ea7955c67 100644
--- a/src/iperf_error.c
+++ b/src/iperf_error.c
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ iperf_strerror(int int_errno)
         case IESETSERVERAUTH:
              snprintf(errstr, len, "you must specify a path to a valid RSA private key and a user credential file");
             break;
+        case IESERVERAUTHUSERS:
+             snprintf(errstr, len, "cannot access authorized users file");
+            break;
 	case IEBADFORMAT:
 	    snprintf(errstr, len, "bad format specifier (valid formats are in the set [kmgtKMGT])");
 	    break;