diff --git a/src/core/index.rs b/src/core/index.rs
index 9781bef7d..e4f2c5775 100644
--- a/src/core/index.rs
+++ b/src/core/index.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::core::SegmentId;
 use crate::core::SegmentMeta;
 use crate::core::SegmentMetaInventory;
 use crate::core::META_FILEPATH;
+use crate::directory::error::OpenReadError;
 use crate::directory::ManagedDirectory;
 #[cfg(feature = "mmap")]
 use crate::directory::MmapDirectory;
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ impl Index {
     /// Examines the directory to see if it contains an index.
     ///
     /// Effectively, it only checks for the presence of the `meta.json` file.
-    pub fn exists<Dir: Directory>(dir: &Dir) -> bool {
+    pub fn exists<Dir: Directory>(dir: &Dir) -> Result<bool, OpenReadError> {
         dir.exists(&META_FILEPATH)
     }
 
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ impl Index {
         schema: Schema,
     ) -> crate::Result<Index> {
         let mmap_directory = MmapDirectory::open(directory_path)?;
-        if Index::exists(&mmap_directory) {
+        if Index::exists(&mmap_directory)? {
             return Err(TantivyError::IndexAlreadyExists);
         }
         Index::create(mmap_directory, schema)
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ impl Index {
 
     /// Opens or creates a new index in the provided directory
     pub fn open_or_create<Dir: Directory>(dir: Dir, schema: Schema) -> crate::Result<Index> {
-        if !Index::exists(&dir) {
+        if !Index::exists(&dir)? {
             return Index::create(dir, schema);
         }
         let index = Index::open(dir)?;
@@ -423,24 +424,24 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_index_exists() {
         let directory = RAMDirectory::create();
-        assert!(!Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(!Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
         assert!(Index::create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
-        assert!(Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn open_or_create_should_create() {
         let directory = RAMDirectory::create();
-        assert!(!Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(!Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
         assert!(Index::open_or_create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
-        assert!(Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn open_or_create_should_open() {
         let directory = RAMDirectory::create();
         assert!(Index::create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
-        assert!(Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
         assert!(Index::open_or_create(directory, throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
     }
 
@@ -448,7 +449,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn create_should_wipeoff_existing() {
         let directory = RAMDirectory::create();
         assert!(Index::create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
-        assert!(Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
         assert!(Index::create(directory.clone(), Schema::builder().build()).is_ok());
     }
 
@@ -456,7 +457,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn open_or_create_exists_but_schema_does_not_match() {
         let directory = RAMDirectory::create();
         assert!(Index::create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
-        assert!(Index::exists(&directory));
+        assert!(Index::exists(&directory).unwrap());
         assert!(Index::open_or_create(directory.clone(), throw_away_schema()).is_ok());
         let err = Index::open_or_create(directory, Schema::builder().build());
         assert_eq!(
diff --git a/src/directory/directory.rs b/src/directory/directory.rs
index 5fbc141fb..7b8cee89b 100644
--- a/src/directory/directory.rs
+++ b/src/directory/directory.rs
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ pub trait Directory: DirectoryClone + fmt::Debug + Send + Sync + 'static {
     fn delete(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<(), DeleteError>;
 
     /// Returns true iff the file exists
-    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> bool;
+    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<bool, OpenReadError>;
 
     /// Opens a writer for the *virtual file* associated with
     /// a Path.
diff --git a/src/directory/managed_directory.rs b/src/directory/managed_directory.rs
index fa3ce79cc..429af76a2 100644
--- a/src/directory/managed_directory.rs
+++ b/src/directory/managed_directory.rs
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ impl Directory for ManagedDirectory {
         self.directory.delete(path)
     }
 
-    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> bool {
+    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<bool, OpenReadError> {
         self.directory.exists(path)
     }
 
@@ -355,22 +355,22 @@ mod tests_mmap_specific {
             managed_directory
                 .atomic_write(test_path2, &[0u8, 1u8])
                 .unwrap();
-            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
-            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path2));
+            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
+            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path2).unwrap());
             let living_files: HashSet<PathBuf> = [test_path1.to_owned()].iter().cloned().collect();
             assert!(managed_directory.garbage_collect(|| living_files).is_ok());
-            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2));
+            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2).unwrap());
         }
         {
             let mmap_directory = MmapDirectory::open(&tempdir_path).unwrap();
             let mut managed_directory = ManagedDirectory::wrap(mmap_directory).unwrap();
-            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2));
+            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2).unwrap());
             let living_files: HashSet<PathBuf> = HashSet::new();
             assert!(managed_directory.garbage_collect(|| living_files).is_ok());
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2));
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path2).unwrap());
         }
     }
 
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ mod tests_mmap_specific {
         let mut write = managed_directory.open_write(test_path1).unwrap();
         write.write_all(&[0u8, 1u8]).unwrap();
         write.terminate().unwrap();
-        assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
+        assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
 
         let _mmap_read = managed_directory.open_read(test_path1).unwrap();
         assert!(managed_directory
@@ -395,15 +395,15 @@ mod tests_mmap_specific {
             .is_ok());
         if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
             // On Windows, gc should try and fail the file as it is mmapped.
-            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
+            assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
             // unmap should happen here.
             drop(_mmap_read);
             // The file should still be in the list of managed file and
             // eventually be deleted once mmap is released.
             assert!(managed_directory.garbage_collect(|| living_files).is_ok());
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
         } else {
-            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1));
+            assert!(!managed_directory.exists(test_path1).unwrap());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/directory/mmap_directory.rs b/src/directory/mmap_directory.rs
index 6093f0c93..c5adf8460 100644
--- a/src/directory/mmap_directory.rs
+++ b/src/directory/mmap_directory.rs
@@ -370,9 +370,9 @@ impl Directory for MmapDirectory {
         }
     }
 
-    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> bool {
+    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<bool, OpenReadError> {
         let full_path = self.resolve_path(path);
-        full_path.exists()
+        Ok(full_path.exists())
     }
 
     fn open_write(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<WritePtr, OpenWriteError> {
diff --git a/src/directory/ram_directory.rs b/src/directory/ram_directory.rs
index 3a8450307..eedbecd23 100644
--- a/src/directory/ram_directory.rs
+++ b/src/directory/ram_directory.rs
@@ -177,8 +177,15 @@ impl Directory for RAMDirectory {
         self.fs.write().unwrap().delete(path)
     }
 
-    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> bool {
-        self.fs.read().unwrap().exists(path)
+    fn exists(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<bool, OpenReadError> {
+        Ok(self
+            .fs
+            .read()
+            .map_err(|e| OpenReadError::IOError {
+                io_error: io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, e.to_string()),
+                filepath: path.to_path_buf(),
+            })?
+            .exists(path))
     }
 
     fn open_write(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<WritePtr, OpenWriteError> {
diff --git a/src/directory/tests.rs b/src/directory/tests.rs
index b677e9590..097941d7a 100644
--- a/src/directory/tests.rs
+++ b/src/directory/tests.rs
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ fn ram_directory_panics_if_flush_forgotten() {
 fn test_simple(directory: &dyn Directory) -> crate::Result<()> {
     let test_path: &'static Path = Path::new("some_path_for_test");
     let mut write_file = directory.open_write(test_path)?;
-    assert!(directory.exists(test_path));
+    assert!(directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
     write_file.write_all(&[4])?;
     write_file.write_all(&[3])?;
     write_file.write_all(&[7, 3, 5])?;
@@ -139,14 +139,14 @@ fn test_simple(directory: &dyn Directory) -> crate::Result<()> {
     assert_eq!(read_file.as_slice(), &[4u8, 3u8, 7u8, 3u8, 5u8]);
     mem::drop(read_file);
     assert!(directory.delete(test_path).is_ok());
-    assert!(!directory.exists(test_path));
+    assert!(!directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
     Ok(())
 }
 
 fn test_rewrite_forbidden(directory: &dyn Directory) -> crate::Result<()> {
     let test_path: &'static Path = Path::new("some_path_for_test");
     directory.open_write(test_path)?;
-    assert!(directory.exists(test_path));
+    assert!(directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
     assert!(directory.open_write(test_path).is_err());
     assert!(directory.delete(test_path).is_ok());
     Ok(())
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ fn test_write_create_the_file(directory: &dyn Directory) {
     {
         assert!(directory.open_read(test_path).is_err());
         let _w = directory.open_write(test_path).unwrap();
-        assert!(directory.exists(test_path));
+        assert!(directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
         assert!(directory.open_read(test_path).is_ok());
         assert!(directory.delete(test_path).is_ok());
     }
diff --git a/tests/failpoints/mod.rs b/tests/failpoints/mod.rs
index f3cfab714..7c07c054e 100644
--- a/tests/failpoints/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/failpoints/mod.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ fn test_failpoints_managed_directory_gc_if_delete_fails() {
         .unwrap()
         .terminate()
         .unwrap();
-    assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path));
+    assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
     // triggering gc and setting the delete operation to fail.
     //
     // We are checking that the gc operation is not removing the
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ fn test_failpoints_managed_directory_gc_if_delete_fails() {
     // lock file.
     fail::cfg("RAMDirectory::delete", "1*off->1*return").unwrap();
     assert!(managed_directory.garbage_collect(Default::default).is_ok());
-    assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path));
+    assert!(managed_directory.exists(test_path).unwrap());
 
     // running the gc a second time should remove the file.
     assert!(managed_directory.garbage_collect(Default::default).is_ok());
     assert!(
-        !managed_directory.exists(test_path),
+        !managed_directory.exists(test_path).unwrap(),
         "The file should have been deleted"
     );
 }