diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/reporting-multiple-github.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/reporting-multiple-github.yaml
index f14000e..22fa1e7 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layouts/reporting-multiple-github.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/reporting-multiple-github.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 - job:
     name: project1-test1
 - job:
-    name: project2-test1
+    name: project2-test2
 
 - project:
     name: org/project1
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
index 16d82af..c8ebeea 100755
--- a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
@@ -5363,6 +5363,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
                 semaphore: test-semaphore
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_v3.py b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
index 44cd5f6..8555208 100755
--- a/tests/unit/test_v3.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
 
             - project:
@@ -135,6 +138,77 @@
             dict(name='project-test2', result='SUCCESS', changes='1,1'),
             dict(name='project-test2', result='SUCCESS', changes='2,1')])
 
+    def test_dynamic_config_non_existing_job(self):
+        """Test that requesting a non existent job fails"""
+        in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - project:
+                name: org/project
+                check:
+                  jobs:
+                    - non-existent-job
+            """)
+
+        in_repo_playbook = textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            - hosts: all
+              tasks: []
+            """)
+
+        file_dict = {'.zuul.yaml': in_repo_conf,
+                     'playbooks/project-test2.yaml': in_repo_playbook}
+        A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project', 'master', 'A',
+                                           files=file_dict)
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(A.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.assertEqual(A.reported, 1,
+                         "A should report failure")
+        self.assertEqual(A.patchsets[0]['approvals'][0]['value'], "-1")
+        self.assertIn('Job non-existent-job not defined', A.messages[0],
+                      "A should have failed the check pipeline")
+        self.assertHistory([])
+
+    def test_dynamic_config_non_existing_job_in_template(self):
+        """Test that requesting a non existent job fails"""
+        in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - project-template:
+                name: test-template
+                check:
+                  jobs:
+                    - non-existent-job
+
+            - project:
+                name: org/project
+                templates:
+                  - test-template
+            """)
+
+        in_repo_playbook = textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            - hosts: all
+              tasks: []
+            """)
+
+        file_dict = {'.zuul.yaml': in_repo_conf,
+                     'playbooks/project-test2.yaml': in_repo_playbook}
+        A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project', 'master', 'A',
+                                           files=file_dict)
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(A.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.assertEqual(A.reported, 1,
+                         "A should report failure")
+        self.assertEqual(A.patchsets[0]['approvals'][0]['value'], "-1")
+        self.assertIn('Job non-existent-job not defined', A.messages[0],
+                      "A should have failed the check pipeline")
+        self.assertHistory([])
+
     def test_dynamic_config_new_patchset(self):
         self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = True
 
@@ -144,6 +218,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
 
             - project:
@@ -221,6 +298,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
 
             - project:
@@ -260,6 +340,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
 
             - project:
@@ -322,6 +405,9 @@
         in_repo_conf = textwrap.dedent(
             """
             - job:
+                name: project-test1
+
+            - job:
                 name: project-test2
 
             - project:
diff --git a/zuul/configloader.py b/zuul/configloader.py
index 4b9b8a0..555d64f 100644
--- a/zuul/configloader.py
+++ b/zuul/configloader.py
@@ -644,6 +644,12 @@
                 raise Exception("Job must be a string or dictionary")
             attrs['_source_context'] = source_context
             attrs['_start_mark'] = start_mark
+
+            # validate that the job is existing
+            with configuration_exceptions('project or project-template',
+                                          attrs):
+                layout.getJob(attrs['name'])
+
             job_list.addJob(JobParser.fromYaml(tenant, layout, attrs,
                                                project_pipeline=True))