diff --git a/qubes/app.py b/qubes/app.py
index 2a00355b7..1ae5745ab 100644
--- a/qubes/app.py
+++ b/qubes/app.py
@@ -674,6 +674,27 @@ def _setter_default_netvm(app, prop, value):
     return value
 
 
+def _validate_kernel(obj, name, kernel):
+    if not kernel:
+        return
+    dirname = os.path.join(
+        qubes.config.qubes_base_dir,
+        qubes.config.system_path['qubes_kernels_base_dir'],
+        kernel)
+    if not os.path.exists(dirname):
+        raise qubes.exc.QubesPropertyValueError(
+            obj, name, kernel,
+            'Kernel {!r} not installed'.format(
+                kernel))
+    for filename in ('vmlinuz',):
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(dirname, filename)):
+            raise qubes.exc.QubesPropertyValueError(
+                obj, name, kernel,
+                'Kernel {!r} not properly installed: '
+                'missing {!r} file'.format(
+                    kernel, filename))
+
+
 class Qubes(qubes.PropertyHolder):
     """Main Qubes application
 
@@ -1593,3 +1614,10 @@ def on_property_set_default_dispvm(self, event, name, newvalue,
                 # resetting dispvm to its default value
                 vm.fire_event('property-reset:default_dispvm',
                               name='default_dispvm', oldvalue=oldvalue)
+
+    @qubes.events.handler('property-pre-set:default_kernel')
+    # pylint: disable-next=invalid-name
+    def on_property_pre_set_default_kernel(self, event, name, newvalue,
+                                           oldvalue=None):
+        # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+        _validate_kernel(self, 'default_kernel', newvalue)
diff --git a/qubes/tests/api_admin.py b/qubes/tests/api_admin.py
index ed0a04156..d0335042d 100644
--- a/qubes/tests/api_admin.py
+++ b/qubes/tests/api_admin.py
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.base_dir_patch.start()
         self.base_dir_patch2.start()
         self.base_dir_patch3.start()
+        kernel_dir = '/tmp/qubes-test-dir/vm-kernels/1.0'
+        os.makedirs(kernel_dir, exist_ok=True)
+        open(os.path.join(kernel_dir, 'vmlinuz'), 'w').close()
         app = qubes.Qubes('/tmp/qubes-test.xml', load=False)
         app.vmm = unittest.mock.Mock(spec=qubes.app.VMMConnection)
         app.load_initial_values()
diff --git a/run-tests b/run-tests
index b0928686b..846b134e3 100755
--- a/run-tests
+++ b/run-tests
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ if sudo --non-interactive "$name/ci/lvm-manage" setup-lvm vg$$/pool; then
     CLEANUP_LVM=yes
 fi
 
+CLEANUP_KERNEL_POOL=
+if [ ! -d "/var/lib/qubes/vm-kernels" ]; then
+    sudo mkdir --parents /var/lib/qubes/vm-kernels/dummy
+    sudo touch /var/lib/qubes/vm-kernels/dummy/vmlinuz
+    CLEANUP_KERNEL_POOL=yes
+fi
+
 : "${PYTHON:=python3}"
 : "${TESTPYTHONPATH:=test-packages}"
 
@@ -32,6 +39,10 @@ export PYTHONPATH
 "${PYTHON}" setup.py egg_info --egg-base "${TESTPYTHONPATH}"
 "${PYTHON}" -m coverage run --rcfile=ci/coveragerc -m qubes.tests.run "$@"
 retcode=$?
+if [ -n "$CLEANUP_KERNEL_POOL" ]; then
+    sudo rm /var/lib/qubes/vm-kernels/dummy/vmlinuz
+    sudo rmdir /var/lib/qubes/vm-kernels/dummy
+fi
 if [ -n "$CLEANUP_LVM" ]; then
     sudo --non-interactive $(dirname "$0")/ci/lvm-manage cleanup-lvm "$DEFAULT_LVM_POOL"
 fi