diff --git a/moor_generator/lib/src/analyzer/dart/use_moor_parser.dart b/moor_generator/lib/src/analyzer/dart/use_moor_parser.dart
index c5f6742f..803c0616 100644
--- a/moor_generator/lib/src/analyzer/dart/use_moor_parser.dart
+++ b/moor_generator/lib/src/analyzer/dart/use_moor_parser.dart
@@ -11,9 +11,17 @@ class UseMoorParser {
   Future<Database> parseDatabase(
       ClassElement element, ConstantReader annotation) async {
     // the types declared in UseMoor.tables
-    final tableTypes =
-        annotation.peek('tables')?.listValue?.map((obj) => obj.toTypeValue()) ??
-            [];
+    final tablesOrNull =
+        annotation.peek('tables')?.listValue?.map((obj) => obj.toTypeValue());
+    if (tablesOrNull == null) {
+      step.reportError(ErrorInDartCode(
+        message: 'Could not read tables from @UseMoor annotation! \n'
+            'Please make sure that all table classes exist.',
+        affectedElement: element,
+      ));
+    }
+
+    final tableTypes = tablesOrNull ?? [];
     final queryStrings = annotation.peek('queries')?.mapValue ?? {};
     final includes = annotation
             .read('include')
diff --git a/moor_generator/test/analyzer/dart/table_parser_test.dart b/moor_generator/test/analyzer/dart/table_parser_test.dart
index 567d35f5..e1bca816 100644
--- a/moor_generator/test/analyzer/dart/table_parser_test.dart
+++ b/moor_generator/test/analyzer/dart/table_parser_test.dart
@@ -93,7 +93,17 @@ void main() {
         @override
         Set<Column> get primaryKey => {other};
       }
-      '''
+      ''',
+      AssetId.parse('test_lib|lib/invalid_reference.dart'): '''
+      import 'package:moor/moor.dart';
+
+      class Foo extends Table {
+        IntColumn get id => integer().autoIncrement()();
+      }
+
+      @UseMoor(tables: [Foo, DoesNotExist])
+      class Database {}
+      ''',
     });
   });
   tearDownAll(() {
@@ -284,4 +294,27 @@ void main() {
       ),
     );
   });
+
+  test('reports errors for unknown classes in UseMoor', () async {
+    final session = MoorSession(backend);
+    final uri = Uri.parse('package:test_lib/invalid_reference.dart');
+    final backendTask = backend.startTask(uri);
+    final task = session.startTask(backendTask);
+    await task.runTask();
+
+    final file = session.registerFile(uri);
+    expect(
+      file.errors.errors,
+      contains(
+        isA<ErrorInDartCode>().having(
+          (e) => e.message,
+          'message',
+          allOf(
+            contains('Could not read tables from @UseMoor annotation!'),
+            contains('Please make sure that all table classes exist.'),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+  });
 }