diff --git a/svg.cpp b/svg.cpp
index 2b4a262c5..858eab344 100644
--- a/svg.cpp
+++ b/svg.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ class Svg::Private
             if (QDir::isAbsolutePath(imagePath)) {
                 path = imagePath;
                 themed = false;
+
+                if (!QFile::exists(path)) {
+                    kDebug() << "Plasma::Svg: file '" << path << "' does not exist!" << endl;
+                }
             } else {
                 themePath = imagePath;
                 themed = true;
@@ -240,6 +244,12 @@ bool Svg::elementExists(const QString& elementId) const
     return d->renderer->elementExists(elementId);
 }
 
+bool Svg::isValid() const
+{
+    d->createRenderer();
+    return d->renderer->isValid();
+}
+
 QSize Svg::size() const
 {
     return d->size.toSize();
diff --git a/svg.h b/svg.h
index 7d0d8254a..f0804b5a6 100644
--- a/svg.h
+++ b/svg.h
@@ -149,6 +149,13 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Svg : public QObject
          **/
         Q_INVOKABLE bool elementExists( const QString& elementId ) const;
 
+        /**
+         * @return true if the SVG file exists and the document is valid,
+         *         otherwise false. This method can be expensive as it
+         *         causes disk access.
+         **/
+        Q_INVOKABLE bool isValid() const;
+
         /**
          * Currently set size of the SVG
          * @return the current size of a given element