diff --git a/doozer/doozerlib/metadata.py b/doozer/doozerlib/metadata.py
index 107725a81..b93bcfe0d 100644
--- a/doozer/doozerlib/metadata.py
+++ b/doozer/doozerlib/metadata.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import datetime
 import io
+import os
 import pathlib
 import re
 import fnmatch
@@ -676,17 +677,27 @@ def get_component_name(self) -> str:
     def resolve_dockerfile_name(self) -> str:
         """
         :return: Upstream Dockerfile name
-        If content.source.dockerfile is not specified, use content.source.dockerfile_fallback
-        If content.source.dockerfile_fallback is not specified, use "Dockerfile"
+        Resolve the Dockerfile name of upstream. If file specified in content.source.dockerfile doesn't exist,
+        try looking at the one specified in content.source.dockerfile_fallback as well.
         """
-        dockerfile_name = "Dockerfile"
         if self.config.content.source.dockerfile is not Missing:
-            # Be aware that this attribute sometimes contains path elements
+            # Be aware that this attribute sometimes contains path elements too.
             dockerfile_name = self.config.content.source.dockerfile
-        elif self.config.content.source.dockerfile_fallback is not Missing:
-            dockerfile_name = self.config.content.source.dockerfile_fallback
-            self.logger.info(f"source.dockerfile not found, using source.dockerfile_fallback {dockerfile_name}")
-        return dockerfile_name
+
+            source_dockerfile_path = os.path.join(self.config.content.source.path, dockerfile_name)
+
+            if not os.path.isfile(source_dockerfile_path):
+                dockerfile_name_fallback = self.config.content.source.dockerfile_fallback
+                if dockerfile_name_fallback is not Missing:
+                    self.logger.info(
+                        f"Could not find source dockerfile at {dockerfile_name}, using fallback {dockerfile_name_fallback}")
+                    return dockerfile_name_fallback
+                raise IOError(
+                    f"Fallback dockerfile {dockerfile_name_fallback} is Missing and source dockerfile {source_dockerfile_path} doesn't exist")
+            else:
+                return dockerfile_name
+        else:
+            return "Dockerfile"
 
     def needs_rebuild(self):
         if self.config.targets: