diff --git a/src/strings.js b/src/strings.js
index fba93de0..9616850a 100644
--- a/src/strings.js
+++ b/src/strings.js
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ var I18N = {
         ImageFormat:    "Sorry, we don't support {0}-based Deep Zoom Images.",
         Security:       "It looks like a security restriction stopped us from " +
                         "loading this Deep Zoom Image.",
-        Status:         "This space unintentionally left blank ({0} {1})."
+        Status:         "This space unintentionally left blank ({0} {1}).",
+        "Open-Failed":  "Unable to open {0}: {1}"
     },
 
     Tooltips: {
diff --git a/src/tilesource.js b/src/tilesource.js
index 3168606e..fb22b21c 100644
--- a/src/tilesource.js
+++ b/src/tilesource.js
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ $.TileSource.prototype = {
 
         callback = function( data ){
             var $TileSource = $.TileSource.determineType( _this, data, url );
+            if ( !$TileSource ) {
+                _this.raiseEvent( 'open-failed', { message: "Unable to load TileSource", source: url } );
+                return;
+            }
+
             options = $TileSource.prototype.configure.apply( _this, [ data, url ]);
             readySource = new $TileSource( options );
             _this.ready = true;
@@ -315,6 +320,11 @@ $.TileSource.prototype = {
             $.makeAjaxRequest( url, function( xhr ) {
                 var data = processResponse( xhr );
                 callback( data );
+            }, function ( xhr ) {
+                _this.raiseEvent( 'open-failed', {
+                    message: "HTTP " + xhr.status + " attempting to load TileSource",
+                    source: url
+                });
             });
         }
 
@@ -458,6 +468,8 @@ $.TileSource.determineType = function( tileSource, data, url ){
             return OpenSeadragon[ property ];
         }
     }
+
+    $.console.error( "No TileSource was able to open %s %s", url, data );
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/viewer.js b/src/viewer.js
index cf5c9aa1..532f5078 100644
--- a/src/viewer.js
+++ b/src/viewer.js
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ $.Viewer = function( options ) {
 
     //Inherit some behaviors and properties
     $.EventHandler.call( this );
+
+    this.addHandler( 'open-failed', function (source, args) {
+        var msg = $.getString( "Errors.Open-Failed", args.source, args.message);
+        window.alert( msg );
+    });
+
     $.ControlDock.call( this, options );
 
     //Deal with tile sources
@@ -433,6 +439,9 @@ $.extend( $.Viewer.prototype, $.EventHandler.prototype, $.ControlDock.prototype,
                 tileSource = new $.TileSource( tileSource, function( readySource ){
                     openTileSource( _this, readySource );
                 });
+                tileSource.addHandler( 'open-failed', function ( name, args ) {
+                    _this.raiseEvent( 'open-failed', args );
+                });
 
             } else if ( $.isPlainObject( tileSource ) || tileSource.nodeType ){
                 if( $.isFunction( tileSource.getTileUrl ) ){
@@ -443,6 +452,13 @@ $.extend( $.Viewer.prototype, $.EventHandler.prototype, $.ControlDock.prototype,
                 } else {
                     //inline configuration
                     $TileSource = $.TileSource.determineType( _this, tileSource );
+                    if ( !$TileSource ) {
+                        _this.raiseEvent( 'open-failed', {
+                            message: "Unable to load TileSource",
+                            source: tileSource
+                        });
+                        return;
+                    }
                     options = $TileSource.prototype.configure.apply( _this, [ tileSource ]);
                     readySource = new $TileSource( options );
                     openTileSource( _this, readySource );