diff --git a/pybis/src/python/pybis/pybis.py b/pybis/src/python/pybis/pybis.py
index c786c63c3afa12bad9192a499dfd8f49b669a56d..8e95d73e7d4f6dbe1693cccaef2500b03b86e832 100644
--- a/pybis/src/python/pybis/pybis.py
+++ b/pybis/src/python/pybis/pybis.py
@@ -2804,6 +2804,10 @@ class Openbis:
         elif isinstance(files, str):
             files = [files]
 
+        for file in files:
+            if not os.path.exists(file):
+                raise ValueError('File {} does not exist'.format(file))
+
         type_obj = self.get_dataset_type(type.upper())
 
         return DataSet(self, type=type_obj, files=files, folder=folder, props=props, **kwargs)