diff --git a/enricher/epss/epss.go b/enricher/epss/epss.go
index 634f59f87..630051e6e 100644
--- a/enricher/epss/epss.go
+++ b/enricher/epss/epss.go
@@ -75,14 +75,27 @@ func (e *Enricher) Configure(ctx context.Context, f driver.ConfigUnmarshaler, c
 	ctx = zlog.ContextWithValues(ctx, "component", "enricher/epss/Enricher/Configure")
 	var cfg Config
 	e.c = c
+
 	if err := f(&cfg); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if cfg.FeedRoot != nil && strings.HasSuffix(*cfg.FeedRoot, ".gz") {
-		e.feedPath = *cfg.FeedRoot
+
+	if cfg.FeedRoot != nil {
+		// Parse and verify the URL format
+		if _, err := url.Parse(*cfg.FeedRoot); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid URL format for FeedRoot: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		// Check if the URL points to a .gz file
+		if strings.HasSuffix(*cfg.FeedRoot, ".gz") {
+			e.feedPath = *cfg.FeedRoot
+		} else {
+			e.sourceURL() // Fallback to the default source URL if not a .gz file
+		}
 	} else {
 		e.sourceURL()
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }