diff --git a/bin/if.c b/bin/if.c
index be3529e..ee519fb 100644
--- a/bin/if.c
+++ b/bin/if.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
 #include <patty/ax25.h>
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ static patty_ax25_if *create_kiss(struct context *ctx, int argc, char **argv) {
     for (i=0; i<argc; i++) {
         switch (mode) {
             case MODE_KISS_DEVICE:
+                if (access(argv[i], R_OK | W_OK) < 0) {
+                    patty_error_fmt(ctx->err, "Unable to access device %s: %s",
+                        argv[i], strerror(errno));
+                }
+
                 info.flags |= PATTY_KISS_TNC_DEVICE;
                 info.device = argv[i];