diff --git a/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas b/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
index a73626ad46..9df8da6e7e 100644
--- a/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
+++ b/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
@@ -583,6 +583,9 @@ resourcestring
   lisUnableToReadFile2 = 'Unable to read file %s%s%s!';
   lisUnableToReadTheProjectInfoFile = 'Unable to read the project info file%s%'
     +'s%s%s.';
+  lisStrangeLpiFile = 'Strange lpi file';
+  lisTheFileDoesNotLookLikeALpiFile = 'The file %s does not look like a lpi '
+    +'file.';
   lisUnableToReadTheProjectInfoFile2 = 'Unable to read the project info file%'
     +'s%s%s%s.';
   lisWriteError = 'Write Error';
diff --git a/ide/project.pp b/ide/project.pp
index 73a90a30c3..7ed85cb7c2 100644
--- a/ide/project.pp
+++ b/ide/project.pp
@@ -2492,8 +2492,6 @@ begin
     try
       {$IFDEF IDE_MEM_CHECK}CheckHeapWrtMemCnt('TProject.ReadProject A reading lpi');{$ENDIF}
       xmlconfig := TXMLConfig.Create(ProjectInfoFile);
-      fLastReadLPIFilename:=ProjectInfoFile;
-      fLastReadLPIFileDate:=Now;
       {$IFDEF IDE_MEM_CHECK}CheckHeapWrtMemCnt('TProject.ReadProject B done lpi');{$ENDIF}
     except
       MessageDlg(Format(lisUnableToReadTheProjectInfoFile, [#13, '"',
@@ -2503,6 +2501,9 @@ begin
       exit;
     end;
 
+    fLastReadLPIFilename:=ProjectInfoFile;
+    fLastReadLPIFileDate:=Now;
+
     NewMainUnitID:=-1;
     try
       Path:='ProjectOptions/';
@@ -2512,6 +2513,13 @@ begin
 
       {$IFDEF IDE_MEM_CHECK}CheckHeapWrtMemCnt('TProject.ReadProject C reading values');{$ENDIF}
       FileVersion:= XMLConfig.GetValue(Path+'Version/Value',0);
+      if (Fileversion=0) and (xmlconfig.GetValue(Path+'Units/Count',0)=0) then
+      begin
+        if MessageDlg(lisStrangeLpiFile,
+          Format(lisTheFileDoesNotLookLikeALpiFile, [ProjectInfoFile]),
+          mtConfirmation,[mbIgnore,mbAbort],0)<>mrIgnore then exit;
+      end;
+
       LoadFlags(XMLConfig,Path);
       
       SessionStorage:=StrToProjectSessionStorage(