diff --git a/system/codeigniter/CodeIgniter.php b/system/codeigniter/CodeIgniter.php
index 160d86c..b5f21a1 100644
--- a/system/codeigniter/CodeIgniter.php
+++ b/system/codeigniter/CodeIgniter.php
@@ -132,11 +132,13 @@
 // Load the local application controller
 // Note: The Router class automatically validates the controller path.  If this include fails it 
 // means that the default controller in the Routes.php file is not resolving to something valid.
-if ( ! include(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->fetch_directory().$RTR->fetch_class().EXT))
+if ( ! file_exists(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->fetch_directory().$RTR->fetch_class().EXT))
 {
 	show_error('Unable to load your default controller.  Please make sure the controller specified in your Routes.php file is valid.');
 }
 
+include(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->fetch_directory().$RTR->fetch_class().EXT);
+
 // Set a mark point for benchmarking
 $BM->mark('loading_time_base_classes_end');