diff --git a/plugins/FeedsProcessor.inc b/plugins/FeedsProcessor.inc
index 0644feb..58379fe 100644
--- a/plugins/FeedsProcessor.inc
+++ b/plugins/FeedsProcessor.inc
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ class FeedsValidationException extends Exception {}
 class FeedsAccessException extends Exception {}
 
 /**
+ * Thrown if an entity could not be loaded.
+ */
+class FeedsEntityNotFoundException extends Exception {}
+
+/**
  * Abstract class, defines interface for processors.
  */
 abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
@@ -116,6 +121,9 @@ abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
    *
    * @todo We should be able to batch load these, if we found all of the
    *   existing ids first.
+   *
+   * @throws FeedsEntityNotFoundException
+   *   When an entity could not be loaded.
    */
   protected function entityLoad(FeedsSource $source, $entity_id) {
     $info = $this->entityInfo();
@@ -131,7 +139,13 @@ abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
       $entity = db_query("SELECT * FROM {" . $table . "} WHERE $key = :entity_id", $args)->fetchObject();
     }
 
-    if ($entity && !empty($info['entity keys']['language'])) {
+    if (empty($entity)) {
+      throw new FeedsEntityNotFoundException(t('Entity with id @entity_id could not be loaded.', array(
+        '@entity_id' => $entity_id,
+      )));
+    }
+
+    if (!empty($info['entity keys']['language'])) {
       $entity->{$info['entity keys']['language']} = $this->entityLanguage();
     }
 
@@ -236,8 +250,8 @@ abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
       $this->initEntitiesToBeRemoved($source, $state);
     }
 
-    $skip_new = $this->config['insert_new'] == FEEDS_SKIP_NEW;
-    $skip_existing = $this->config['update_existing'] == FEEDS_SKIP_EXISTING;
+    $insert_new = $this->config['insert_new'] != FEEDS_SKIP_NEW;
+    $update_existing = $this->config['update_existing'] != FEEDS_SKIP_EXISTING;
 
     while ($item = $parser_result->shiftItem()) {
 
@@ -250,39 +264,34 @@ abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
 
       module_invoke_all('feeds_before_update', $source, $item, $entity_id);
 
-      // If it exists, and we are not updating, or if it does not exist, and we
-      // are not inserting, pass onto the next item.
-      if (($entity_id && $skip_existing) || (!$entity_id && $skip_new)) {
-        continue;
-      }
-
       try {
         $hash = $this->hash($item);
-        $changed = $hash !== $this->getHash($entity_id);
 
         // Do not proceed if the item exists, has not changed, and we're not
         // forcing the update.
-        if ($entity_id && !$changed && !$this->config['skip_hash_check']) {
+        if ($entity_id && !$this->config['skip_hash_check'] && $update_existing) {
+          if ($hash === $this->getHash($entity_id)) {
+            // The item has not changed.
+            continue;
+          }
+        }
+
+        // Load or create the entity.
+        $entity = $this->provideEntity($source, $entity_id, $update_existing, $insert_new);
+        if (empty($entity)) {
+          // No entity was found nor created. Go to the next item.
           continue;
         }
 
-        // Load an existing entity.
+        // Add item info.
+        $this->newItemInfo($entity, $source->feed_nid, $hash);
         if ($entity_id) {
-          $entity = $this->entityLoad($source, $entity_id);
-
           // The feeds_item table is always updated with the info for the most
           // recently processed entity. The only carryover is the entity_id.
-          $this->newItemInfo($entity, $source->feed_nid, $hash);
           $entity->feeds_item->entity_id = $entity_id;
           $entity->feeds_item->is_new = FALSE;
         }
 
-        // Build a new entity.
-        else {
-          $entity = $this->newEntity($source);
-          $this->newItemInfo($entity, $source->feed_nid, $hash);
-        }
-
         // Set property and field values.
         $this->map($source, $parser_result, $entity);
         $this->entityValidate($entity);
@@ -411,6 +420,56 @@ abstract class FeedsProcessor extends FeedsPlugin {
   }
 
   /**
+   * Loads an existing entity or creates new one.
+   *
+   * The entity_id parameter is emptied if an existing entity could not
+   * be found or if creating a new entity.
+   *
+   * Called by the process() method.
+   *
+   * @param FeedsSource $source
+   *   The feeds source that spawns this entity.
+   * @param int|string $entity_id
+   *   (optional) The id of the entity to load.
+   * @param bool $load_existing
+   *   (optional) If the entity may be loaded at all.
+   *   Defaults to true.
+   * @param bool $create_new
+   *   (optional) If a new entity may be created.
+   *   Defaults to true.
+   *
+   * @return object|null
+   *   An entity if loading or creation was succesful.
+   *   NULL otherwise.
+   *
+   * @see ::process()
+   */
+  protected function provideEntity(FeedsSource $source, &$entity_id = NULL, $load_existing = TRUE, $create_new = TRUE) {
+    $entity = NULL;
+
+    if ($entity_id && $load_existing) {
+      // Try to load an existing entity.
+      try {
+        $entity = $this->entityLoad($source, $entity_id);
+      }
+      catch (FeedsEntityNotFoundException $e) {
+        // In case the entity could not be found, empty the entity_id and act as if
+        // the item to import is new.
+        $entity_id = NULL;
+        // Log the exception.
+        $source->log('import', '@exception', array('@exception' => $e->getMessage(), WATCHDOG_WARNING);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (!$entity_id && $create_new) {
+      // Build a new entity.
+      $entity = $this->newEntity($source);
+    }
+
+    return $entity;
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Initializes the list of entities to remove.
    *
    * This populates $state->removeList with all existing entities previously