diff --git a/modelforge/curation/utils.py b/modelforge/curation/utils.py
index e250b3b4..5d383894 100644
--- a/modelforge/curation/utils.py
+++ b/modelforge/curation/utils.py
@@ -63,11 +63,8 @@ def dict_to_hdf5(file_name: str, data: list, series_info: dict, id_key: str) ->
 
 def mkdir(path: str) -> bool:
     if not os.path.exists(path):
-        try:
-            os.makedirs(path)
-            return True
-        except Exception:
-            print("Could not create directory {path}.")
+        os.makedirs(path)
+        return True
     else:
         return False
 
@@ -135,7 +132,7 @@ def download_from_figshare(url: str, output_path: str, force_download=False) ->
     else:  # if the file exists and we don't set force_download to True, just use the cached version
         logger.debug(f"Datafile {name} already exists in {output_path}.")
         logger.debug(
-            "Using already downloaded file; use force_download=True to re-download."
+            "Using already downloaded file; set force_download=True to re-download."
         )
 
     return name
@@ -163,6 +160,9 @@ def list_files(directory: str, extension: str) -> list:
     >>> files = list_files('test_directory', '.xyz')
     """
 
+    if not os.path.exists(directory):
+        raise Exception(f"{directory} not found")
+
     logger.debug(f"Gathering {extension} files in {directory}.")
 
     files = []
@@ -189,5 +189,6 @@ def str_to_float(x: str) -> float:
     float
         Float value of the string.
     """
+
     xf = float(x.replace("*^", "e"))
     return xf
diff --git a/modelforge/tests/test_curation.py b/modelforge/tests/test_curation.py
index 320ba914..3518b18d 100644
--- a/modelforge/tests/test_curation.py
+++ b/modelforge/tests/test_curation.py
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ def test_dict_to_hdf5(prep_temp_dir):
             else:
                 assert records[i][key] == test_data[i][key]
 
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        dict_to_hdf5(
+            file_name=file_name_path,
+            data=test_data,
+            series_info=record_entries_series,
+            id_key="name_should_fail",
+        )
+
 
 def test_series_dict_to_hdf5(prep_temp_dir):
     # generate an hdf5 file from simple test data
@@ -230,6 +238,9 @@ def test_list_files(prep_temp_dir):
     # check to see if test.hdf5 is in the files
     assert "test.hdf5" in files
 
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        list_files("/path/that/should/not/exist/", ".hdf5")
+
 
 def test_str_to_float(prep_temp_dir):
     val = str_to_float("1*^6")