diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy.js b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
index 9d98b6a02..dfb6bf244 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ class Deploy {
         }
         let linkReference = '__' + filename + ":" + contractObj.className;
         let toReplace = linkReference + "_".repeat(40 - linkReference.length);
+        if (contractCode.indexOf(linkReference) >= 0 && deployedAddress === undefined) {
+          let libraryName = contractObj.className;
+          return callback(new Error(contract.className + " needs " + libraryName + " but an address was not found, did you deploy it or configured an address?"));
+        }
         contractCode = contractCode.replace(new RegExp(toReplace, "g"), deployedAddress);
       }