diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application-common.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application-common.ts
index dd3a64e21..32ab9dc04 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application-common.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application-common.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,12 @@ export function getCssFileName(): string {
 }
 
 export function loadAppCss(): void {
-    events.notify(<LoadAppCSSEventData>{ eventName: "loadAppCss", object: app, cssFile: getCssFileName() });
+    try {
+        events.notify(<LoadAppCSSEventData>{ eventName: "loadAppCss", object: app, cssFile: getCssFileName() });
+    } catch (e) {
+        throw new Error(`The file ${getCssFileName()} couldn't be loaded! ` +
+           `You may need to register it inside ./app/vendor.ts.`);
+    }
 }
 
 export function addCss(cssText: string): void {
@@ -97,4 +102,4 @@ export function addCss(cssText: string): void {
 
 global.__onUncaughtError = function (error: NativeScriptError) {
     events.notify(<UnhandledErrorEventData>{ eventName: uncaughtErrorEvent, object: app, android: error, ios: error, error: error });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}