diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/system/mount.py b/lib/ansible/modules/system/mount.py
index 1d14561581d..d77a1ee5bef 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/system/mount.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/system/mount.py
@@ -662,8 +662,12 @@ def main():
     if not os.path.exists(args['fstab']):
         if not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(args['fstab'])):
             os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(args['fstab']))
-
-        open(args['fstab'], 'a').close()
+        try:
+            open(args['fstab'], 'a').close()
+        except PermissionError as e:
+            module.fail_json(msg="Failed to open %s due to permission issue" % args['fstab'])
+        except Exception as e:
+            module.fail_json(msg="Failed to open %s due to %s" % (args['fstab'], to_native(e)))
 
     # absent:
     #   Remove from fstab and unmounted.
@@ -706,6 +710,9 @@ def main():
 
             changed = True
     elif state == 'mounted':
+        if not os.path.exists(args['src']):
+            module.fail_json(msg="Unable to mount %s as it does not exist" % args['src'])
+
         if not os.path.exists(name) and not module.check_mode:
             try:
                 os.makedirs(name)