diff --git a/src/vs/code/node/cliProcessMain.ts b/src/vs/code/node/cliProcessMain.ts
index 7b866e8f3e1..7179236d7f6 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/node/cliProcessMain.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/node/cliProcessMain.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ import { OneDataSystemAppender } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/node/1dsAppender';
 import { buildTelemetryMessage } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/node/telemetry';
 import { IUriIdentityService } from 'vs/platform/uriIdentity/common/uriIdentity';
 import { UriIdentityService } from 'vs/platform/uriIdentity/common/uriIdentityService';
-import { IUserDataProfilesService, PROFILES_ENABLEMENT_CONFIG } from 'vs/platform/userDataProfile/common/userDataProfile';
+import { IUserDataProfile, IUserDataProfilesService, PROFILES_ENABLEMENT_CONFIG } from 'vs/platform/userDataProfile/common/userDataProfile';
 import { UserDataProfilesService } from 'vs/platform/userDataProfile/node/userDataProfile';
 import { resolveMachineId } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/node/telemetryUtils';
 import { ExtensionsProfileScannerService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionsProfileScannerService';
@@ -251,7 +251,14 @@ class CliMain extends Disposable {
 	}
 
 	private async doRun(environmentService: INativeEnvironmentService, fileService: IFileService, userDataProfilesService: IUserDataProfilesService, instantiationService: IInstantiationService): Promise<void> {
-		const profileLocation = (environmentService.args.profile ? userDataProfilesService.profiles.find(p => p.name === environmentService.args.profile) ?? userDataProfilesService.defaultProfile : userDataProfilesService.defaultProfile).extensionsResource;
+		let profile: IUserDataProfile | undefined = undefined;
+		if (environmentService.args.profile) {
+			profile = userDataProfilesService.profiles.find(p => p.name === environmentService.args.profile);
+			if (!profile) {
+				throw new Error(`Profile '${environmentService.args.profile}' not found.`);
+			}
+		}
+		const profileLocation = (profile ?? userDataProfilesService.defaultProfile).extensionsResource;
 
 		// Install Source
 		if (this.argv['install-source']) {