diff --git a/pysm3/tests/test_utils.py b/pysm3/tests/test_utils.py
index 29be8e98..1fde71b0 100644
--- a/pysm3/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/pysm3/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from astropy.io import fits
 from astropy.tests.helper import assert_quantity_allclose
 from pysm3 import utils
+from urllib.error import URLError
 
 
 def test_get_relevant_frequencies():
@@ -148,3 +149,8 @@ def test_add_metadata_different_units(test_fits_file):
         assert f[1].header["TUNIT2"] == "mK_RJ"
         assert f[1].header["TUNIT3"] == "K_CMB"
         assert f[1].header["REF_FREQ"] == "353 GHz"
+
+
+def test_data_raise():
+    with pytest.raises(URLError):
+        pysm3.utils.RemoteData().get("doesntexist.txt")
diff --git a/pysm3/utils/data.py b/pysm3/utils/data.py
index 890e2ee4..b0b25552 100644
--- a/pysm3/utils/data.py
+++ b/pysm3/utils/data.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import logging
+from urllib.error import URLError
+
 
 from astropy.utils import data
 
@@ -46,5 +48,11 @@ def get(self, filename):
             "remote_timeout", 90
         ):
             log.info(f"Retrieve data for {filename} (if not cached already)")
-            full_path = data.get_pkg_data_filename(filename, show_progress=True)
+            try:
+                full_path = data.get_pkg_data_filename(filename, show_progress=True)
+            except URLError as e:
+                log.error(
+                    "File not found, please make sure you are using the latest version of PySM 3"
+                )
+                raise e
         return full_path