diff --git a/src/dotenv.net/Reader.cs b/src/dotenv.net/Reader.cs
index 726b8fa..c6d365f 100644
--- a/src/dotenv.net/Reader.cs
+++ b/src/dotenv.net/Reader.cs
@@ -8,35 +8,35 @@ internal static class Reader
     {
         internal static ReadOnlySpan<string> Read(string envFilePath, bool ignoreExceptions, Encoding encoding)
         {
-            try
-            {
-                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(envFilePath))
-                {
-                    throw new ArgumentException("The file path cannot be null, empty or whitespace.", nameof(envFilePath));
-                }
+            var defaultResponse = ReadOnlySpan<string>.Empty;
 
-                // if configured to throw errors then throw otherwise return
-                if (!File.Exists(envFilePath))
+            // if configured to throw errors then throw otherwise return
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(envFilePath))
+            {
+                if (ignoreExceptions)
                 {
-                    throw new FileNotFoundException(
-                        $"An environment file with path \"{envFilePath}\" does not exist.");
+                    return defaultResponse;
                 }
 
-                // default to UTF8 if encoding is not provided
-                encoding ??= Encoding.UTF8;
-
-                // read all lines from the env file
-                return new ReadOnlySpan<string>(File.ReadAllLines(envFilePath, encoding));
+                throw new ArgumentException("The file path cannot be null, empty or whitespace.", nameof(envFilePath));
             }
-            catch (Exception)
+
+            // if configured to throw errors then throw otherwise return
+            if (!File.Exists(envFilePath))
             {
                 if (ignoreExceptions)
                 {
-                    return ReadOnlySpan<string>.Empty;
+                    return defaultResponse;
                 }
 
-                throw;
+                throw new FileNotFoundException($"A file with provided path \"{envFilePath}\" does not exist.");
             }
+
+            // default to UTF8 if encoding is not provided
+            encoding ??= Encoding.UTF8;
+
+            // read all lines from the env file
+            return new ReadOnlySpan<string>(File.ReadAllLines(envFilePath, encoding));
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dotenv.net/Utilities/Helpers.cs b/src/dotenv.net/Utilities/Helpers.cs
index 2bdd815..465b428 100644
--- a/src/dotenv.net/Utilities/Helpers.cs
+++ b/src/dotenv.net/Utilities/Helpers.cs
@@ -24,13 +24,14 @@ internal static IDictionary<string, string> ReadAndReturn(DotEnvOptions options)
         {
             var response = new Dictionary<string, string>();
             var envFilePaths = options.ProbeForEnv
-                ? new[] {GetProbedEnvPath(options.ProbeLevelsToSearch)}
+                ? new[] {GetProbedEnvPath(options.ProbeLevelsToSearch, options.IgnoreExceptions)}
                 : options.EnvFilePaths;
 
             foreach (var envFilePath in envFilePaths)
             {
                 var envRows = ReadAndParse(envFilePath, options.IgnoreExceptions, options.Encoding,
                     options.TrimValues);
+
                 foreach (var envRow in envRows)
                 {
                     if (response.ContainsKey(envRow.Key))
@@ -64,22 +65,38 @@ internal static void ReadAndWrite(DotEnvOptions options)
             }
         }
 
-        private static string GetProbedEnvPath(int levelsToSearch)
+        private static string GetProbedEnvPath(int levelsToSearch, bool ignoreExceptions)
         {
             var currentDirectory = new DirectoryInfo(AppContext.BaseDirectory);
+            var count = levelsToSearch;
+            var foundEnvPath = SearchPaths();
+
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(foundEnvPath) && !ignoreExceptions)
+            {
+                throw new FileNotFoundException(
+                    $"Failed to find a file matching the '{DotEnvOptions.DefaultEnvFileName}' search pattern." +
+                    $"{Environment.NewLine}Current Directory: {currentDirectory}" +
+                    $"{Environment.NewLine}Levels Searched: {levelsToSearch}");
+            }
+
+            return foundEnvPath;
 
-            for (;
-                currentDirectory != null && levelsToSearch > 0;
-                levelsToSearch--, currentDirectory = currentDirectory.Parent)
+
+            string SearchPaths()
             {
-                foreach (var file in currentDirectory.GetFiles(DotEnvOptions.DefaultEnvFileName,
-                    SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly))
+                for (;
+                    currentDirectory != null && count > 0;
+                    count--, currentDirectory = currentDirectory.Parent)
                 {
-                    return file.FullName;
+                    foreach (var file in currentDirectory.GetFiles(DotEnvOptions.DefaultEnvFileName,
+                        SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly))
+                    {
+                        return file.FullName;
+                    }
                 }
-            }
 
-            return null;
+                return null;
+            }
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dotenv.net/dotenv.net.csproj b/src/dotenv.net/dotenv.net.csproj
index ed5fbd6..03a452c 100644
--- a/src/dotenv.net/dotenv.net.csproj
+++ b/src/dotenv.net/dotenv.net.csproj
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@
     <PackageLicenseUrl>https://github.com/bolorundurowb/dotenv.net/blob/master/LICENSE</PackageLicenseUrl>
     <RepositoryUrl>https://github.com/bolorundurowb/dotenv.net</RepositoryUrl>
     <LangVersion>default</LangVersion>
-    <PackageVersion>3.0.0</PackageVersion>
+    <PackageVersion>3.1.0</PackageVersion>
     <RepositoryType>git</RepositoryType>
     <PackageTags>dotnet, environment, variables, env, dotenv, net core, autofac</PackageTags>
     <GeneratePackageOnBuild>true</GeneratePackageOnBuild>
-    <AssemblyVersion>3.0.0</AssemblyVersion>
-    <FileVersion>3.0.0</FileVersion>
+    <AssemblyVersion>3.1.0</AssemblyVersion>
+    <FileVersion>3.1.0</FileVersion>
     <NeutralLanguage>en-NG</NeutralLanguage>
     <TargetFrameworks>net5.0;net5.0-windows;netstandard1.6;netstandard2.0;netstandard2.1</TargetFrameworks>
     <Title>dotenv.net</Title>
diff --git a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Fluent.Tests.cs b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Fluent.Tests.cs
index 6a3ef55..da1d058 100644
--- a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Fluent.Tests.cs
+++ b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Fluent.Tests.cs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public void ConfigShouldLoadDefaultEnvWithProbeOptions()
                 .Load());
 
             action.Should()
-                .ThrowExactly<ArgumentException>();
+                .ThrowExactly<FileNotFoundException>();
             
             action = () => DotEnv.Fluent()
                 .WithProbeForEnv(5)
diff --git a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Tests.cs b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Tests.cs
index ec2609f..0607254 100644
--- a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Tests.cs
+++ b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/DotEnv.Tests.cs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public void ConfigShouldLoadDefaultEnvWithProbeOptions()
             var action = new Action(() => DotEnv.Config(new DotEnvOptions(probeForEnv: true, probeLevelsToSearch: 2, ignoreExceptions: false)));
 
             action.Should()
-                .ThrowExactly<ArgumentException>();
+                .ThrowExactly<FileNotFoundException>();
             
             action = () => DotEnv.Config(new DotEnvOptions(probeForEnv: true, probeLevelsToSearch: 5, ignoreExceptions: false));
 
diff --git a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/dotenv.net.Tests.csproj b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/dotenv.net.Tests.csproj
index acf43a2..3df3993 100644
--- a/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/dotenv.net.Tests.csproj
+++ b/tests/dotenv.net.Tests/dotenv.net.Tests.csproj
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
   <PropertyGroup>
     <TargetFramework>net5.0</TargetFramework>
     <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
-    <PackageVersion>3.0.0</PackageVersion>
+    <PackageVersion></PackageVersion>
+    <AssemblyVersion>3.1.0</AssemblyVersion>
+    <FileVersion>3.1.0</FileVersion>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="coverlet.msbuild" Version="3.0.3">
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>
     </PackageReference>
     <PackageReference Include="FluentAssertions" Version="5.10.3" />
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="16.9.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" Version="16.10.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit" Version="2.4.1" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" Version="2.4.3">
       <PrivateAssets>all</PrivateAssets>