diff --git a/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh b/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
index f0cfa0fd54f..db8586c788e 100755
--- a/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
+++ b/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
@@ -78,9 +78,14 @@ if [[ "$ENTRY_FILE" ]]; then
   # Use ENTRY_FILE defined by user
   :
 elif [[ -s "index.ios.js" ]]; then
-   ENTRY_FILE=${1:-index.ios.js}
- else
-   ENTRY_FILE=${1:-index.js}
+  ENTRY_FILE=${1:-index.ios.js}
+else
+  ENTRY_FILE=${1:-index.js}
+fi
+
+if [[ $DEV != true && ! -f "$ENTRY_FILE" ]]; then
+  echo "error: Entry file $ENTRY_FILE does not exist. If you use another file as your entry point, pass ENTRY_FILE=myindex.js" >&2
+  exit 2
 fi
 
 if [[ -s "$HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh" ]]; then