diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2299ed0..8a74c4b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -60,10 +60,11 @@
     "build": "tsup --minify --clean",
     "watch": "tsup --watch --sourcemap",
     "test": "npm run lint && npm run test-e2e",
-    "test-e2e": "npm run test-e2e:basic && npm run test-e2e:settings-view && npm run test-e2e:vscode-settings",
+    "test-e2e": "npm run test-e2e:basic && npm run test-e2e:settings-view && npm run test-e2e:vscode-settings && npm run test-e2e:empty",
     "test-e2e:basic": "wdio run ./tests/e2e/basic/wdio.conf.ts",
     "test-e2e:settings-view": "wdio run ./tests/e2e/settings-view/wdio.conf.ts",
     "test-e2e:vscode-settings": "wdio run ./tests/e2e/vscode-settings/wdio.conf.ts",
+    "test-e2e:empty": "wdio run ./tests/e2e/empty/wdio.conf.ts",
     "eslint": "eslint src --ext ts --cache",
     "lint": "eslint --cache . && prettier --check .",
     "reformat": "eslint --fix . && prettier --write .",
diff --git a/samples/empty/package.json b/samples/empty/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cf0941
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/empty/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "name": "empty",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+  },
+  "keywords": [],
+  "author": "",
+  "license": "ISC"
+}
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index a7c3b30..7d20e4c 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,14 @@ class TestplaneExtension {
             // TODO: should support few workspaces
             const wf = folders[0];
             const config = await getVSCodeConfig(wf);
+
+            if (!config.configPath) {
+                logger.error("Failed to start: Testplane config is not found");
+                this._testController.items.delete(this._loadingTestItem.id);
+
+                return;
+            }
+
             const childProc = await createChildProcess(wf, config);
 
             const { api, handlers } = createTestplaneMasterRpc({
diff --git a/tests/e2e/empty/specs/activate.ts b/tests/e2e/empty/specs/activate.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6922ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/empty/specs/activate.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { expect } from "@wdio/globals";
+import { VSCodePO } from "../../page-objects";
+
+describe("Activation on open Testing bar", () => {
+    it("should do not try to read tests", async () => {
+        const vscodePO = await VSCodePO.create();
+        const testingViewControl = vscodePO.getTestingViewControl();
+        await testingViewControl.open();
+
+        const sidebar = vscodePO.getTestingSideBar();
+        const [firstSection] = await sidebar.getSections();
+        const items = await firstSection.getVisibleItems();
+
+        expect(items).toHaveLength(0);
+
+        const webview = await vscodePO.getWebviewByTitle("Testplane");
+        expect(webview.elem).toBeDisplayed();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/tests/e2e/empty/tsconfig.json b/tests/e2e/empty/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e06a4a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/empty/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "extends": "../tsconfig.common.json",
+    "include": ["specs", "wdio.conf.ts"]
+}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/empty/wdio.conf.ts b/tests/e2e/empty/wdio.conf.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a42ed00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/empty/wdio.conf.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import path from "node:path";
+import { getWdioConfig } from "../utils";
+import type { Options } from "@wdio/types";
+
+export const config: Options.Testrunner = getWdioConfig({
+    extensionPath: process.cwd(),
+    workspacePath: path.resolve(process.cwd(), "samples/empty"),
+});