diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/utils/bottles.rb b/Library/Homebrew/utils/bottles.rb
index 927963bc1e..73353496a8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/utils/bottles.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/utils/bottles.rb
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ module Utils
       end
 
       def receipt_path(bottle_file)
-        Utils.popen_read("tar", "-tzf", bottle_file).lines.map(&:chomp).find do |line|
+        path = Utils.popen_read("tar", "-tzf", bottle_file).lines.map(&:chomp).find do |line|
           line =~ %r{.+/.+/INSTALL_RECEIPT.json}
         end
+        raise "This bottle does not contain the file INSTALL_RECEIPT.json: #{bottle_file}" unless path
+        path
       end
 
       def resolve_formula_names(bottle_file)