diff --git a/httprunner/api.py b/httprunner/api.py
index cdd7bd32..cb3c862b 100644
--- a/httprunner/api.py
+++ b/httprunner/api.py
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ class HttpRunner(object):
             logger.log_warning("parse failures occurred ...")
             utils.dump_logs(parse_failed_testfiles, project_mapping, "parse_failed")
 
+        if len(parsed_testcases) == 0:
+            logger.log_error("failed to parse all cases, abort.")
+            raise exceptions.ParseTestsFailure
+
         if self.save_tests:
             utils.dump_logs(parsed_testcases, project_mapping, "parsed")
 
diff --git a/httprunner/exceptions.py b/httprunner/exceptions.py
index ad05ea53..17bd8ee1 100644
--- a/httprunner/exceptions.py
+++ b/httprunner/exceptions.py
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ class MyBaseFailure(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class ParseTestsFailure(MyBaseFailure):
+    pass
+
+
 class ValidationFailure(MyBaseFailure):
     pass