diff --git a/spec/atom-environment-spec.js b/spec/atom-environment-spec.js
index 991524853..4fdae6c3c 100644
--- a/spec/atom-environment-spec.js
+++ b/spec/atom-environment-spec.js
@@ -671,6 +671,8 @@ describe('AtomEnvironment', () => {
         })
 
         it('may be required to be an existing directory', async () => {
+          spyOn(atom.notifications, 'addWarning')
+
           const nonExistent = path.join(__dirname, 'no')
           const existingFile = __filename
           const existingDir = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures')
@@ -683,6 +685,11 @@ describe('AtomEnvironment', () => {
 
           expect(atom.workspace.getTextEditors()).toEqual([])
           expect(atom.project.getPaths()).toEqual([existingDir])
+
+          expect(atom.notifications.addWarning).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            'Unable to open project folders',
+            {description: `The directories \`${nonExistent}\` and \`${existingFile}\` do not exist.`}
+          )
         })
       })
 
diff --git a/src/atom-environment.js b/src/atom-environment.js
index 4e3d7fb30..e53d2b936 100644
--- a/src/atom-environment.js
+++ b/src/atom-environment.js
@@ -1364,6 +1364,7 @@ or use Pane::saveItemAs for programmatic saving.`)
     const needsProjectPaths = this.project && this.project.getPaths().length === 0
     const foldersToAddToProject = new Set()
     const fileLocationsToOpen = []
+    const missingFolders = []
 
     // Asynchronously fetch stat information about each requested path to open.
     const locationStats = await Promise.all(
@@ -1386,9 +1387,13 @@ or use Pane::saveItemAs for programmatic saving.`)
         if (stats.isDirectory()) {
           // Directory: add as a project folder
           foldersToAddToProject.add(this.project.getDirectoryForProjectPath(pathToOpen).getPath())
-        } else if (stats.isFile() && !location.mustBeDirectory) {
-          // File: add as a file location
-          fileLocationsToOpen.push(location)
+        } else if (stats.isFile()) {
+          if (!location.mustBeDirectory) {
+            // File: add as a file location
+            fileLocationsToOpen.push(location)
+          } else {
+            missingFolders.push(location)
+          }
         }
       } else {
         // Path does not exist
@@ -1397,7 +1402,10 @@ or use Pane::saveItemAs for programmatic saving.`)
         if (directory) {
           // Found: add as a project folder
           foldersToAddToProject.add(directory.getPath())
-        } else if (!location.mustBeDirectory) {
+        } else if (location.mustBeDirectory) {
+          // Not found and must be a directory: add to missing list
+          missingFolders.push(location)
+        } else {
           // Not found: open as a new file
           fileLocationsToOpen.push(location)
         }
@@ -1430,6 +1438,33 @@ or use Pane::saveItemAs for programmatic saving.`)
       await Promise.all(fileOpenPromises)
     }
 
+    if (missingFolders.length > 0) {
+      let message = 'Unable to open project folder'
+      if (missingFolders.length > 1) {
+        message += 's'
+      }
+
+      let description = 'The '
+      if (missingFolders.length === 1) {
+        description += 'directory `'
+        description += missingFolders[0].pathToOpen
+        description += '` does not exist.'
+      } else if (missingFolders.length === 2) {
+        description += `directories \`${missingFolders[0].pathToOpen}\` `
+        description += `and \`${missingFolders[1].pathToOpen}\` do not exist.`
+      } else {
+        description += 'directories '
+        description += (missingFolders
+          .slice(0, -1)
+          .map(location => location.pathToOpen)
+          .map(pathToOpen => '`' + pathToOpen + '`, ')
+          .join(''))
+        description += 'and `' + missingFolders[missingFolders.length - 1].pathToOpen + '` do not exist.'
+      }
+
+      this.notifications.addWarning(message, {description})
+    }
+
     ipcRenderer.send('window-command', 'window:locations-opened')
   }