diff --git a/crates/drag/src/lib.rs b/crates/drag/src/lib.rs
index f075449..aee2aa9 100644
--- a/crates/drag/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/drag/src/lib.rs
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     UnsupportedWindowHandle,
     #[error("failed to start drag")]
     FailedToStartDrag,
+    #[error("drag image not found")]
+    ImageNotFound,
     #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
     #[error("empty drag target list")]
     EmptyTargetList,
diff --git a/crates/drag/src/platform_impl/macos/mod.rs b/crates/drag/src/platform_impl/macos/mod.rs
index da5271a..fe09f8a 100644
--- a/crates/drag/src/platform_impl/macos/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/drag/src/platform_impl/macos/mod.rs
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ pub fn start_drag<W: HasRawWindowHandle>(
             let img: id = msg_send![class!(NSImage), alloc];
             let img: id = match image {
                 Image::File(path) => {
+                    if !path.exists() {
+                        return Err(crate::Error::ImageNotFound);
+                    }
                     NSImage::initByReferencingFile_(img, new_nsstring(&path.to_string_lossy()))
                 }
                 Image::Raw(bytes) => {