diff --git a/source/blender/io/usd/intern/usd_capi_import.cc b/source/blender/io/usd/intern/usd_capi_import.cc
index f4a57ee9ffe..f26c83adcb0 100644
--- a/source/blender/io/usd/intern/usd_capi_import.cc
+++ b/source/blender/io/usd/intern/usd_capi_import.cc
@@ -553,6 +553,11 @@ CacheReader *CacheReader_open_usd_object(CacheArchiveHandle *handle,
 
   pxr::UsdPrim prim = archive->stage()->GetPrimAtPath(pxr::SdfPath(object_path));
 
+  if (!prim) {
+    WM_reportf(RPT_WARNING, "USD Import: unable to open cache reader for object %s", object_path);
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+
   if (reader) {
     USD_CacheReader_free(reader);
   }