diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f12fcba..7284966 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ add_executable(
         wallengine
         main.cpp
 
+        src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.cpp
+        src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.h
         src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CContainer.h
         src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CContainer.cpp
         src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CCombinedContainer.h
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 01a5122..36101e6 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -151,10 +151,12 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
 
         // add the package to the list
         containers->add (new WallpaperEngine::Assets::CPackage (scene_path));
+        std::cout << "Detected scene.pkg file at " << scene_path << ". Adding to list of searchable paths" << std::endl;
     }
     catch(std::filesystem::filesystem_error ex)
     {
         // ignore this error, the package file was not found
+        std::cout << "No scene.pkg file found at " << path << ". Defaulting to normal folder storage" << std::endl;
     }
     catch (std::runtime_error ex)
     {
@@ -208,7 +210,6 @@ int main (int argc, char* argv[])
         return 3;
     }
 
-
     if (project->getType () == "scene")
     {
         WallpaperEngine::Core::CScene* scene = project->getWallpaper ()->as <WallpaperEngine::Core::CScene> ();
diff --git a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.cpp b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6e70f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#include "CAssetLoadException.h"
+
+using namespace WallpaperEngine::Assets;
+
+CAssetLoadException::CAssetLoadException(const std::string& filename, const std::string& extrainfo)
+    : m_message("Cannot find file " + filename + ": " + extrainfo)
+{
+
+}
+
+const char *CAssetLoadException::what() const noexcept
+{
+    return this->m_message.c_str ();
+}
diff --git a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.h b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6cd511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CAssetLoadException.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <exception>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace WallpaperEngine::Assets
+{
+    class CAssetLoadException : public std::exception
+    {
+    public:
+        CAssetLoadException(const std::string& filename, const std::string& extrainfo = "");
+        const char* what() const noexcept override;
+
+    private:
+        std::string m_message;
+    };
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CCombinedContainer.cpp b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CCombinedContainer.cpp
index ad710e8..b78a911 100644
--- a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CCombinedContainer.cpp
+++ b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CCombinedContainer.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "CCombinedContainer.h"
+#include "CAssetLoadException.h"
 
 using namespace WallpaperEngine::Assets;
 
@@ -20,12 +21,12 @@ void* CCombinedContainer::readFile (std::string filename, uint32_t* length)
             // an exception will be thrown
             return (*cur)->readFile (filename, length);
         }
-        catch (std::exception& ex)
+        catch (CAssetLoadException& ex)
         {
             // not found in this container, next try
         }
     }
 
     // no container was able to load the file, abort!
-    throw std::runtime_error ("Cannot find the file in any of the containers");
+    throw CAssetLoadException (filename, "Cannot find file in any of the containers");
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CDirectory.cpp b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CDirectory.cpp
index fc7d559..0db9340 100644
--- a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CDirectory.cpp
+++ b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CDirectory.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,21 @@
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
 #include "CDirectory.h"
+#include "CAssetLoadException.h"
 
 using namespace WallpaperEngine::Assets;
 
 CDirectory::CDirectory (std::string basepath) :
     m_basepath (std::move (basepath))
 {
+    // ensure the specified path exists
+    struct stat buffer;
+
+    if (stat (this->m_basepath.c_str (), &buffer) != 0)
+        throw std::runtime_error ("Cannot find " + this->m_basepath + ". This folder is required for wallpaper engine to work");
+
+    if (!S_ISDIR(buffer.st_mode))
+        throw std::runtime_error ("Cannot find " + this->m_basepath + ". There's an assets file in it's place");
 }
 
 CDirectory::~CDirectory ()
@@ -30,7 +41,7 @@ void* CDirectory::readFile (std::string filename, uint32_t* length)
     FILE* fp = fopen (final.c_str (), "rb");
 
     if (fp == nullptr)
-        throw std::runtime_error ("Cannot find requested file");
+        throw CAssetLoadException(filename, "Cannot find file");
 
     // go to the end, get the position and return to the beginning
     fseek (fp, 0, SEEK_END);
@@ -43,7 +54,7 @@ void* CDirectory::readFile (std::string filename, uint32_t* length)
     if (fread (contents, size, 1, fp) != 1)
     {
         delete[] contents;
-        throw std::runtime_error ("Unexpected error when reading the file");
+        throw CAssetLoadException (filename, "Unexpected error when reading the file");
     }
 
     // store it in the cache too
diff --git a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CPackage.cpp b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CPackage.cpp
index 9a31a76..ae31ebe 100644
--- a/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CPackage.cpp
+++ b/src/WallpaperEngine/Assets/CPackage.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 //
 
 #include "CPackage.h"
+#include "CAssetLoadException.h"
 
 #include <utility>
 #include <filesystem>
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ void* CPackage::readFile (std::string filename, uint32_t* length)
     auto it = this->m_contents.find (filename);
 
     if (it == this->m_contents.end ())
-        throw std::runtime_error ("Cannot find file in file list");
+        throw CAssetLoadException(filename, "Cannot find the file in the package");
 
     // set file length if required
     if (length != nullptr)