diff --git a/hoodie-client/src/main/java/com/uber/hoodie/io/HoodieUpdateHandle.java b/hoodie-client/src/main/java/com/uber/hoodie/io/HoodieUpdateHandle.java
index 43394c32617c5..98c0992c549be 100644
--- a/hoodie-client/src/main/java/com/uber/hoodie/io/HoodieUpdateHandle.java
+++ b/hoodie-client/src/main/java/com/uber/hoodie/io/HoodieUpdateHandle.java
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ private void init(Iterator<HoodieRecord<T>> newRecordsItr) {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             logger.error("Error in update task at commit " + commitTime, e);
             writeStatus.setGlobalError(e);
+            throw new HoodieUpsertException(
+                "Failed to initialize HoodieUpdateHandle for FileId: " + fileId + " on commit "
+                    + commitTime + " on HDFS path " + metadata.getBasePath());
         }
     }