diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index a9336a14304fc6..524f80ee69ee52 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -866,7 +866,9 @@ static ExitCode InitializeNodeWithArgsInternal(
 
     for (const auto& file_path : file_paths) {
       std::string path = cwd + kPathSeparator + file_path;
-      per_process::dotenv_file.ParsePath(path);
+      auto path_exists = per_process::dotenv_file.ParsePath(path);
+
+      if (!path_exists) errors->push_back(file_path + ": not found");
     }
 
     per_process::dotenv_file.AssignNodeOptionsIfAvailable(&node_options);
diff --git a/src/node_dotenv.cc b/src/node_dotenv.cc
index 0633ef51269959..992633c50b9a14 100644
--- a/src/node_dotenv.cc
+++ b/src/node_dotenv.cc
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ void Dotenv::SetEnvironment(node::Environment* env) {
   }
 }
 
-void Dotenv::ParsePath(const std::string_view path) {
+bool Dotenv::ParsePath(const std::string_view path) {
   uv_fs_t req;
   auto defer_req_cleanup = OnScopeLeave([&req]() { uv_fs_req_cleanup(&req); });
 
   uv_file file = uv_fs_open(nullptr, &req, path.data(), 0, 438, nullptr);
   if (req.result < 0) {
     // req will be cleaned up by scope leave.
-    return;
+    return false;
   }
   uv_fs_req_cleanup(&req);
 
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ void Dotenv::ParsePath(const std::string_view path) {
     auto r = uv_fs_read(nullptr, &req, file, &buf, 1, -1, nullptr);
     if (req.result < 0) {
       // req will be cleaned up by scope leave.
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
     uv_fs_req_cleanup(&req);
     if (r <= 0) {
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ void Dotenv::ParsePath(const std::string_view path) {
   for (const auto& line : lines) {
     ParseLine(line);
   }
+  return true;
 }
 
 void Dotenv::AssignNodeOptionsIfAvailable(std::string* node_options) {
diff --git a/src/node_dotenv.h b/src/node_dotenv.h
index ee74f9ff84a353..cc87008d149f43 100644
--- a/src/node_dotenv.h
+++ b/src/node_dotenv.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class Dotenv {
   Dotenv& operator=(const Dotenv& d) = default;
   ~Dotenv() = default;
 
-  void ParsePath(const std::string_view path);
+  bool ParsePath(const std::string_view path);
   void AssignNodeOptionsIfAvailable(std::string* node_options);
   void SetEnvironment(Environment* env);
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js b/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
index ae2b3dc2a35f35..9735a89618172c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-dotenv-edge-cases.js
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ describe('.env supports edge cases', () => {
       [ '--env-file=.env', '--eval', code ],
       { cwd: __dirname },
     );
-    assert.strictEqual(child.stderr, '');
-    assert.strictEqual(child.code, 0);
+    assert.notStrictEqual(child.stderr.toString(), '');
+    assert.strictEqual(child.code, 9);
   });
 
   it('should not override existing environment variables but introduce new vars', async () => {