diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/Run.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/Run.scala
index 747b719cb881..1a723a79204c 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/Run.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/Run.scala
@@ -111,7 +111,8 @@ class Run(comp: Compiler, ictx: Context) extends ImplicitRunInfo with Constraint
   }
   catch {
     case NonFatal(ex) =>
-      runContext.echo(i"exception occurred while compiling $units%, %")
+      if units != null then runContext.echo(i"exception occurred while compiling $units%, %")
+      else runContext.echo(s"exception occurred while compiling ${fileNames.mkString(", ")}")
       throw ex
   }
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
index b54f6d320693..232a893072ff 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/core/Contexts.scala
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import util.Store
 import xsbti.AnalysisCallback
 import plugins._
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
+import java.nio.file.InvalidPathException
 
 object Contexts {
 
@@ -248,11 +249,16 @@ object Contexts {
     def getSource(path: TermName): SourceFile = base.sourceNamed.get(path) match {
       case Some(source) =>
         source
-      case None =>
+      case None => try {
         val f = new PlainFile(Path(path.toString))
         val src = getSource(f)
         base.sourceNamed(path) = src
         src
+      } catch {
+        case ex: InvalidPathException =>
+          ctx.error(s"invalid file path: ${ex.getMessage}")
+          NoSource
+      }
     }
 
     /** Sourcefile with given path, memoized */