diff --git a/plugins/alfresco-maven-plugin/src/main/java/org/alfresco/maven/plugin/RunMojo.java b/plugins/alfresco-maven-plugin/src/main/java/org/alfresco/maven/plugin/RunMojo.java
index a2093f61..490277c7 100644
--- a/plugins/alfresco-maven-plugin/src/main/java/org/alfresco/maven/plugin/RunMojo.java
+++ b/plugins/alfresco-maven-plugin/src/main/java/org/alfresco/maven/plugin/RunMojo.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.LifecyclePhase;
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.Mojo;
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.ResolutionScope;
 import org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject;
+import org.codehaus.plexus.util.FileUtils;
 import org.zeroturnaround.zip.ZipUtil;
 
 import java.io.*;
@@ -562,7 +563,7 @@ public class RunMojo extends AbstractMojo {
      * @throws MojoExecutionException
      */
     protected void renameAlfrescoGlobalProperties() throws MojoExecutionException {
-        String alfrescoGlobalFilePath = "${project.build.testOutputDirectory}/alfresco-global-";
+        String alfrescoGlobalFilePath = project.getBuild().getTestOutputDirectory() + "/alfresco-global-";
         if (enableH2) {
             alfrescoGlobalFilePath += "h2.properties";
             getLog().info("Renaming alfresco-global-h2.properties to alfresco-global.properties");
@@ -579,6 +580,15 @@ public class RunMojo extends AbstractMojo {
             throw new MojoExecutionException("Invalid database configuration, use enableH2, enableMySQL, " +
                     "enablePostgreSQL, or enabaleEnterpriseDb");
         }
+
+        if (!FileUtils.fileExists(alfrescoGlobalFilePath)) {
+            throw new MojoExecutionException("Missing file: " + alfrescoGlobalFilePath + ", when converting from older " +
+                    "SDK versions generate an SDK 3 AIO or Platform JAR project and copy " +
+                    "alfresco-global-*.properties files from it. Then configure any custom settings from old SDK " +
+                    "project repo/src/main/properties/local/alfresco-global.properties file in the new " +
+                    "alfresco-global-h2.properties file, or other config file corresponding to the database you are using.");
+        }
+
         executeMojo(
                 plugin(
                         groupId("com.coderplus.maven.plugins"),