diff --git a/gnucash/gnucash-commands.cpp b/gnucash/gnucash-commands.cpp
index 638c4c25aa..2b6dd2f3dc 100644
--- a/gnucash/gnucash-commands.cpp
+++ b/gnucash/gnucash-commands.cpp
@@ -168,9 +168,12 @@ scm_run_report (void *data,
     if (!session)
         scm_cleanup_and_exit_with_failure (session);
 
-    qof_session_begin (session, datafile, TRUE, FALSE, FALSE);
+    qof_session_begin (session, datafile, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE);
     if (qof_session_get_error (session) != ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR)
+    {
+        fprintf (stderr, "ERROR: datafile not found, or locked in another session\n");
         scm_cleanup_and_exit_with_failure (session);
+    }
 
     qof_session_load (session, report_session_percentage);
     if (qof_session_get_error (session) != ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR)