Index: ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/DDLTask.java =================================================================== --- ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/DDLTask.java (revision 984204) +++ ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/DDLTask.java (working copy) @@ -1588,6 +1588,11 @@ Partition part = null; if(alterTbl.getPartSpec() != null) { part = db.getPartition(tbl, alterTbl.getPartSpec(), false); + if(part == null) { + console.printError("Partition : " + alterTbl.getPartSpec().toString() + + " does not exist."); + return 1; + } } validateAlterTableType(tbl, alterTbl.getOp());