diff --git a/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-api-parent/nd4j-api/src/main/java/org/nd4j/linalg/factory/Nd4j.java b/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-api-parent/nd4j-api/src/main/java/org/nd4j/linalg/factory/Nd4j.java
index 73d70086c..eda5c7319 100644
--- a/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-api-parent/nd4j-api/src/main/java/org/nd4j/linalg/factory/Nd4j.java
+++ b/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-api-parent/nd4j-api/src/main/java/org/nd4j/linalg/factory/Nd4j.java
@@ -6916,6 +6916,9 @@ public class Nd4j {
      * @return the created ndarray
      */
     public static INDArray createFromNpyFile(File file) {
+        if (!file.exists())
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("File [" + file.getAbsolutePath() + "] doesn't exist");
+
         return INSTANCE.createFromNpyFile(file);
     }
 
diff --git a/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-tests/src/test/java/org/nd4j/linalg/serde/NumpyFormatTests.java b/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-tests/src/test/java/org/nd4j/linalg/serde/NumpyFormatTests.java
index 06a0b62fb..217f9780f 100644
--- a/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-tests/src/test/java/org/nd4j/linalg/serde/NumpyFormatTests.java
+++ b/nd4j/nd4j-backends/nd4j-tests/src/test/java/org/nd4j/linalg/serde/NumpyFormatTests.java
@@ -304,6 +304,12 @@ public class NumpyFormatTests extends BaseNd4jTest {
         boolean eq = exp.equals(probablyShouldntLoad); //And is actually equal content
     }
 
+    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+    public void testAbsentNumpyFile_1() throws Exception {
+        val f = new File("pew-pew-zomg.some_extension_that_wont_exist");
+        INDArray act1 = Nd4j.createFromNpyFile(f);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public char ordering() {
         return 'c';