diff --git a/source/openvino.js b/source/openvino.js
index d23b796a3fe..174c24c56d8 100644
--- a/source/openvino.js
+++ b/source/openvino.js
@@ -90,10 +90,15 @@ openvino.ModelFactory = class {
                 break;
             }
             case 'openvino.bin': {
-                const file = `${base}.xml`;
-                const content = await context.fetch(file, null);
-                stream = content.stream;
-                bin = context.stream.peek();
+                try {
+                    const file = `${base}.xml`;
+                    const content = await context.fetch(file, null);
+                    stream = content.stream;
+                    bin = context.stream.peek();
+                } catch (error) {
+                    const message = error && error.message ? error.message : error.toString();
+                    throw new openvino.Error(`OpenVINO model definition required (${message.replace(/\.$/, '')}).`);
+                }
                 break;
             }
             default: {