diff --git a/dvc/command/metrics.py b/dvc/command/metrics.py
index 748b3bff7..73bd9ae9f 100644
--- a/dvc/command/metrics.py
+++ b/dvc/command/metrics.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import argparse
 import logging
+import itertools
 
 from dvc.exceptions import DvcException
 from dvc.command.base import CmdBase, fix_subparsers, append_doc_link
@@ -46,6 +47,24 @@ class CmdMetricsShow(CmdBase):
             )
 
             show_metrics(metrics, self.args.all_branches, self.args.all_tags)
+
+            found = set(
+                itertools.chain.from_iterable(
+                    metric.keys() for metric in metrics.values()
+                )
+            )
+
+            missing = set(self.args.targets) - found
+
+            if missing:
+                logger.error(
+                    "the following metrics do not exists, "
+                    "are not metric files or are malformed: {paths}".format(
+                        paths=", ".join("'{}'".format(x) for x in missing)
+                    )
+                )
+                return 1
+
         except DvcException:
             logger.exception("failed to show metrics")
             return 1
diff --git a/dvc/exceptions.py b/dvc/exceptions.py
index 508b1fb05..e8fd2df29 100644
--- a/dvc/exceptions.py
+++ b/dvc/exceptions.py
@@ -195,16 +195,6 @@ class ReproductionError(DvcException):
         super(ReproductionError, self).__init__(msg, cause=ex)
 
 
-class BadMetricError(DvcException):
-    def __init__(self, paths):
-        super(BadMetricError, self).__init__(
-            "the following outputs do not exist, are not a metric file "
-            "or are malformed: {paths}".format(
-                paths=", ".join(relpath(path) for path in paths)
-            )
-        )
-
-
 class NoMetricsError(DvcException):
     def __init__(self):
         super(NoMetricsError, self).__init__(
diff --git a/dvc/repo/metrics/show.py b/dvc/repo/metrics/show.py
index b7c2645bb..0facfa8ae 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/metrics/show.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/metrics/show.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import logging
 
 from jsonpath_ng.ext import parse
 
-from dvc.exceptions import OutputNotFoundError, BadMetricError, NoMetricsError
+from dvc.exceptions import OutputNotFoundError, NoMetricsError
 from dvc.utils.compat import builtin_str, open, StringIO, csv_reader
 
 NO_METRICS_FILE_AT_REFERENCE_WARNING = (
@@ -282,9 +282,7 @@ def show(
         if metrics:
             res[branch] = metrics
 
-    if not res:
-        if targets:
-            raise BadMetricError(targets)
+    if not res and not targets:
         raise NoMetricsError()
 
     return res
diff --git a/tests/func/test_metrics.py b/tests/func/test_metrics.py
index a452dabe9..46440ffdf 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_metrics.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_metrics.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import logging
 
 from dvc.repo import Repo as DvcRepo
 from dvc.main import main
-from dvc.exceptions import DvcException, BadMetricError, NoMetricsError
+from dvc.exceptions import DvcException, NoMetricsError
 from dvc.repo.metrics.show import NO_METRICS_FILE_AT_REFERENCE_WARNING
 from dvc.stage import Stage
 from dvc.utils import relpath
@@ -412,10 +412,10 @@ class TestMetricsRecursive(TestDvcGit):
         self.dvc.scm.checkout("master")
 
     def test(self):
-        with self.assertRaises(BadMetricError):
-            self.dvc.metrics.show(
-                ["nested"], all_branches=True, recursive=False
-            )
+        ret = self.dvc.metrics.show(
+            ["nested"], all_branches=True, recursive=False
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(len(ret), 0)
 
         ret = self.dvc.metrics.show(
             ["nested"], all_branches=True, recursive=True