diff --git a/cleanlab_studio/cli/dataset/upload.py b/cleanlab_studio/cli/dataset/upload.py
index 8a4761f4..a95971d6 100644
--- a/cleanlab_studio/cli/dataset/upload.py
+++ b/cleanlab_studio/cli/dataset/upload.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import pathlib
 from typing import cast, List, Optional
-import os
 
 from cleanlab_studio.internal.types import SchemaOverride
 from cleanlab_studio.internal.upload_helpers import upload_dataset
@@ -42,8 +41,6 @@ def upload(
 
     if filepath is None:
         filepath = click_helpers.prompt_for_filepath("Specify your dataset filepath")
-    if not os.path.exists(filepath):
-        abort(f"cannot upload '{filepath}': no such file or directory")
 
     dataset_source = FilepathDatasetSource(filepath=pathlib.Path(filepath))
 
diff --git a/cleanlab_studio/errors.py b/cleanlab_studio/errors.py
index 38a08a96..f301bb03 100644
--- a/cleanlab_studio/errors.py
+++ b/cleanlab_studio/errors.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 from asyncio import Handle
+import pathlib
+from typing import Union
 
 
 class HandledError(Exception):
@@ -139,3 +141,10 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
 
 class InvalidProjectConfiguration(HandledError):
     pass
+
+
+class InvalidFilepathError(HandledError):
+    def __init__(self, filepath: Union[str, pathlib.Path] = "") -> None:
+        if isinstance(filepath, pathlib.Path):
+            filepath = str(filepath)
+        super().__init__(f"File could not be found at {filepath}. Please check the file path.")
diff --git a/cleanlab_studio/internal/dataset_source/filepath_dataset_source.py b/cleanlab_studio/internal/dataset_source/filepath_dataset_source.py
index 88a19448..a2174e69 100644
--- a/cleanlab_studio/internal/dataset_source/filepath_dataset_source.py
+++ b/cleanlab_studio/internal/dataset_source/filepath_dataset_source.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import mimetypes
 import pathlib
 from typing import Any, Optional
+import os
 
 from .dataset_source import DatasetSource
-from cleanlab_studio.errors import InvalidDatasetError
+from cleanlab_studio.errors import InvalidDatasetError, InvalidFilepathError
 
 
 class FilepathDatasetSource(DatasetSource):
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ def __init__(
         **kwargs: Any,
     ):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        if not os.path.exists(filepath):
+            raise InvalidFilepathError(filepath=filepath)
+
         self.dataset_name = dataset_name if dataset_name is not None else filepath.name
         self.file_size = filepath.stat().st_size
         maybe_file_type = mimetypes.guess_type(filepath)[0]