diff --git a/hadoop-hdds/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/utils/db/DBConfigFromFile.java b/hadoop-hdds/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/utils/db/DBConfigFromFile.java
index f23e910ba01d..ba4674439d1c 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdds/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/utils/db/DBConfigFromFile.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdds/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/utils/db/DBConfigFromFile.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public static ManagedDBOptions readFromFile(String dbFileName,
               env, options, cfDescs, true);
 
         } catch (RocksDBException rdEx) {
-          toIOException("Unable to find/open Options file.", rdEx);
+          throw toIOException("Unable to find/open Options file.", rdEx);
         }
       }
     }