diff --git a/phing/tasks/properties.xml b/phing/tasks/properties.xml
index 1cef36926..0059f6988 100644
--- a/phing/tasks/properties.xml
+++ b/phing/tasks/properties.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@
   <property file="${phing.dir}/build.yml" override="true" logoutput="false"/>
 
   <!-- Load the root project.yml file for this project. -->
-  <property file="${blt.config-files.project}" override="true" logoutput="${blt.verbose}"/>
+  <if>
+    <available file="${blt.config-files.project}" type="file"/>
+    <then>
+      <property file="${blt.config-files.project}" override="true" logoutput="${blt.verbose}"/>
+    </then>
+  </if>
 
   <!-- Load the local project.local.yml file for this project. -->
   <!--@todo Change this so that it is only loaded for local:* targets. -->