diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9009ddf0..60b1b18c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "maturin"
 
 [project]
 name = "nrel.routee.compass"
-version = "0.8.0"
+version = "0.8.1"
 description = "An eco-routing tool build upon RouteE-Powertrain"
 readme = "README.md"
 documentation = "nrel.github.io/routee-compass"
diff --git a/python/nrel/routee/compass/io/utils.py b/python/nrel/routee/compass/io/utils.py
index e7de9de4..6cbab26a 100644
--- a/python/nrel/routee/compass/io/utils.py
+++ b/python/nrel/routee/compass/io/utils.py
@@ -86,7 +86,13 @@ def _download_tile(
 
     with requests.get(url, stream=True) as r:
         log.info(f"downloading {tile}")
-        r.raise_for_status()
+        try:
+            r.raise_for_status()
+        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as e:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Failed to download USGS tile {tile} from {url}. "
+                "If this road network is outside of the US, consider re-running with `grade=False`."
+            ) from e
 
         destination.parent.mkdir(exist_ok=True)