diff --git a/src/parsers/perf/perfparser.cpp b/src/parsers/perf/perfparser.cpp
index f5efdd569..f34c2afd1 100644
--- a/src/parsers/perf/perfparser.cpp
+++ b/src/parsers/perf/perfparser.cpp
@@ -1475,6 +1475,7 @@ PerfParser::~PerfParser() = default;
 
 bool PerfParser::initParserArgs(const QString& path)
 {
+    // check for common file issues
     const auto info = QFileInfo(path);
     if (!info.exists()) {
         emit parsingFailed(tr("File '%1' does not exist.").arg(path));
@@ -1489,6 +1490,18 @@ bool PerfParser::initParserArgs(const QString& path)
         return false;
     }
 
+    // peek into file header
+    QFile file(path);
+    if (file.peek(8) != "PERFILE2" && file.peek(11) != "QPERFSTREAM") {
+        if (file.peek(8) == "PERFFILE") {
+            emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to parse file %1: %2").arg(path, tr("Unsupported V1 perf data")));
+        } else {
+            emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to parse file %1: %2").arg(path, tr("File format unknown")));
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // check perfparser and set initial values
     auto parserBinary = Util::perfParserBinaryPath();
     if (parserBinary.isEmpty()) {
         emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to find hotspot-perfparser binary."));
@@ -1583,16 +1596,15 @@ void PerfParser::startParseFile(const QString& path)
             emit parsingFinished();
         };
 
-        if (path.endsWith(QLatin1String(".perfparser"))) {
-            QFile file(path);
-            if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
-                emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to open file %1: %2").arg(path, file.errorString()));
-                return;
-            }
+        // note: file is always readable and in supported format here,
+        //        already validated in initParserArgs()
+        QFile file(path);
+        if (file.peek(11) == "QPERFSTREAM") {
             d.setInput(&file);
             while (!file.atEnd() && !d.stopRequested) {
                 if (!d.tryParse()) {
-                    emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to parse file"));
+                    // TODO: provide reason
+                    emit parsingFailed(tr("Failed to parse file %1: %2").arg(path, QStringLiteral("Unknown reason")));
                     return;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/tests/integrationtests/tst_perfparser.cpp b/tests/integrationtests/tst_perfparser.cpp
index 184bff7ed..ab7734e23 100644
--- a/tests/integrationtests/tst_perfparser.cpp
+++ b/tests/integrationtests/tst_perfparser.cpp
@@ -172,6 +172,86 @@ private slots:
         m_capabilities = host.perfCapabilities();
     }
 
+    void testFileErrorHandling()
+    {
+        PerfParser parser(this);
+        QSignalSpy parsingFailedSpy(&parser, &PerfParser::parsingFailed);
+        QString message;
+
+        const auto notThereFile = QLatin1String("not_here");
+        parser.initParserArgs(notThereFile);
+
+        COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 1);
+        message = qvariant_cast<QString>(parsingFailedSpy.takeFirst().at(0));
+        // qDebug("Error message is '%s'", qPrintable(message));
+        QVERIFY(message.contains(notThereFile));
+        QVERIFY(message.contains(QLatin1String("does not exist")));
+
+        const auto parentDirs = QLatin1String("../..");
+        parser.initParserArgs(parentDirs);
+        // note: initializing parser args reset the attached spy counter
+        COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 1);
+        message = qvariant_cast<QString>(parsingFailedSpy.takeFirst().at(0));
+        QVERIFY(message.contains(parentDirs));
+        QVERIFY(message.contains(QLatin1String("is not a file")));
+
+        const auto noRead = QLatin1String("no_r_possible");
+        const auto shell = QStandardPaths::findExecutable(QStringLiteral("bash"));
+        if (!shell.isEmpty()) {
+            QProcess::execute(
+                shell, {QLatin1String("-c"), QStringLiteral("rm -rf %1 && touch %1 && chmod a-r %1").arg(noRead)});
+            parser.initParserArgs(noRead);
+
+            COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 1);
+            message = qvariant_cast<QString>(parsingFailedSpy.takeFirst().at(0));
+            QVERIFY(message.contains(noRead));
+            QVERIFY(message.contains(QLatin1String("not readable")));
+        }
+    }
+
+    void testFileContent()
+    {
+        PerfParser parser(this);
+        QSignalSpy parsingFailedSpy(&parser, &PerfParser::parsingFailed);
+        QSignalSpy parsingFinishedSpy(&parser, &PerfParser::parsingFinished);
+        QString message;
+
+        const auto perfData = QFINDTESTDATA("custom_cost_aggregation_testfiles/custom_cost_aggregation.perfparser");
+        QVERIFY(!perfData.isEmpty() && QFile::exists(perfData));
+
+        parser.startParseFile(perfData);
+
+        VERIFY_OR_THROW(parsingFinishedSpy.wait(6000));
+
+        // Verify that the test passed
+        COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 0);
+        COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFinishedSpy.count(), 1);
+
+        const auto shell = QStandardPaths::findExecutable(QStringLiteral("bash"));
+        if (!shell.isEmpty()) {
+            const auto perfDataSomeName = QLatin1String("fruitper");
+            QProcess::execute(shell,
+                              {QLatin1String("-c"), QStringLiteral("cp -f %1 %2").arg(perfData, perfDataSomeName)});
+
+            parser.startParseFile(perfDataSomeName);
+
+            VERIFY_OR_THROW(parsingFinishedSpy.wait(6000));
+
+            // Verify that the test passed
+            COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 0);
+            COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFinishedSpy.count(), 2);
+        }
+
+        // TODO: add checks for PERFv1 and PERFv2
+        // const auto parentDirs =
+        // QLatin1String("custom_cost_aggregation_testfiles/custom_cost_aggregation.perfparser");
+        // parser.startParseFile(parentDirs);
+        // COMPARE_OR_THROW(parsingFailedSpy.count(), 1);
+        // message = qvariant_cast<QString>(parsingFailedSpy.takeFirst().at(0));
+        // QVERIFY(message.contains(parentDirs));
+        // QVERIFY(message.contains(QLatin1String("is not a file")));
+    }
+
     void init()
     {
         m_bottomUpData = {};