diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy.js b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
index 8a5df9009..fb0c1c65f 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ class Deploy {
           // applying deployer account configuration, if any
           if (typeof contract.fromIndex == 'number') {
             deploymentAccount = accounts[contract.fromIndex];
+            if (deploymentAccount === undefined) {
+              return next("error deploying " + contract.className + ": no account found at index " + contract.fromIndex + " check the config");
+            }
           }
           if (typeof contract.from == 'string' && typeof contract.fromIndex != 'undefined') {
             self.logger.warn('Both "from" and "fromIndex" are defined for contract "'+contract.className+'". Using "from" as deployer account.');
diff --git a/test_app/config/contracts.json b/test_app/config/contracts.json
index 814703184..f1e342e1a 100644
--- a/test_app/config/contracts.json
+++ b/test_app/config/contracts.json
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
         "deploy": false
       },
       "SimpleStorage": {
+        "fromIndex": 1,
         "args": [
           100
         ]