diff --git a/composer/utils/checkpoint.py b/composer/utils/checkpoint.py
index 0116b79314..d88c995867 100644
--- a/composer/utils/checkpoint.py
+++ b/composer/utils/checkpoint.py
@@ -244,34 +244,42 @@ def read_data(self, plan: LoadPlan, planner: LoadPlanner):
             # Get the lowest rank in the current node
             local_rank_0 = dist.get_global_rank() - dist.get_local_rank()
 
-            for plan_item in plan.items:
-                relative_file_path = self.storage_data[plan_item.storage_index].relative_path
-                # Check if the file is scheduled to be downloaded by a lower rank on the same node
-                # i.e. if rank 0 and rank 1 on the same node have the same the same required file,
-                # only rank 0 should download it and not rank 1.
-                is_downloaded = any(
-                    relative_file_path in all_file_paths[i] for i in range(local_rank_0, dist.get_global_rank())
-                )
+            try:
+                for plan_item in plan.items:
+                    relative_file_path = self.storage_data[plan_item.storage_index].relative_path
+                    # Check if the file is scheduled to be downloaded by a lower rank on the same node
+                    # i.e. if rank 0 and rank 1 on the same node have the same the same required file,
+                    # only rank 0 should download it and not rank 1.
+                    is_downloaded = any(
+                        relative_file_path in all_file_paths[i] for i in range(local_rank_0, dist.get_global_rank())
+                    )
 
-                # Download the shard file to the relative path it's associated to and save that relative path
-                # to the root directory specified to the FileSystem reader constructor.
-                file_destination = str(Path(self.destination_path) / Path(relative_file_path))
-
-                # The file could have already been downloaded as different plan items can point to same file.
-                if not is_downloaded and not os.path.exists(file_destination):
-                    log.debug(f'Downloading {relative_file_path} to {file_destination}.')
-                    object_name = str(Path(self.source_path) / Path(relative_file_path))
-                    if isinstance(self.object_store, ObjectStore):
-                        self.object_store.download_object(
-                            object_name=object_name,
-                            filename=file_destination,
-                        )
-                    else:
-                        self.object_store.download_file(
-                            remote_file_name=object_name,
-                            destination=file_destination,
-                        )
-                    log.debug(f'Finished downloading {relative_file_path} to {file_destination}.')
+                    # Download the shard file to the relative path it's associated to and save that relative path
+                    # to the root directory specified to the FileSystem reader constructor.
+                    file_destination = str(Path(self.destination_path) / Path(relative_file_path))
+
+                    # The file could have already been downloaded as different plan items can point to same file.
+                    if not is_downloaded and not os.path.exists(file_destination):
+                        log.debug(f'Downloading {relative_file_path} to {file_destination}.')
+                        object_name = str(Path(self.source_path) / Path(relative_file_path))
+                        if isinstance(self.object_store, ObjectStore):
+                            self.object_store.download_object(
+                                object_name=object_name,
+                                filename=file_destination,
+                            )
+                        else:
+                            self.object_store.download_file(
+                                remote_file_name=object_name,
+                                destination=file_destination,
+                            )
+                        log.debug(f'Finished downloading {relative_file_path} to {file_destination}.')
+            except Exception as e:
+                # PyTorch will capture any exception of this function,
+                # and dist.all_gather_objects(exception) before raising it.
+                # If that all_gather_objects fails, the exception is never visible to user.
+                # We immediately print the exception to avoid that situation.
+                log.error(f'Exception {type(e)} raised during downloading: {str(e)}')
+                raise e
 
         # 3. Wait for all ranks to finish.
         log.debug(f'Rank {dist.get_global_rank()} finished downloading all files.')