diff --git a/borg/archive.py b/borg/archive.py
index baf212337..afc734cef 100644
--- a/borg/archive.py
+++ b/borg/archive.py
@@ -1107,6 +1107,10 @@ class ArchiveChecker:
             archive_items = [item for item in self.manifest.archives.items() if item[0] == archive]
             num_archives = 1
             end = 1
+            if not archive_items:
+                logger.error('Archive %s does not exist', archive)
+                self.error_found = True
+                return
 
         with cache_if_remote(self.repository) as repository:
             for i, (name, info) in enumerate(archive_items[:end]):
diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index 301246004..a26e0040a 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ Bug fixes:
 - Fixed "borg upgrade --tam" crashing with unencrypted repositories. Since :ref:`the issue <tam_vuln>` is
   not relevant for unencrypted repositories, it now does nothing and prints an error, #1981.
 - Fixed change-passphrase crashing with unencrypted repositories, #1978
+- Fixed "borg check repo::archive" indicating success if "archive" does not exist, #1997
 
 Version 1.0.9 (2016-12-20)
 --------------------------