diff --git a/src/MeshInertiaCalculator.cc b/src/MeshInertiaCalculator.cc
index 23d5e95310..47b7c3c230 100644
--- a/src/MeshInertiaCalculator.cc
+++ b/src/MeshInertiaCalculator.cc
@@ -218,6 +218,11 @@ std::optional<gz::math::Inertiald> MeshInertiaCalculator::operator()
   // Load the Mesh
   gz::common::MeshManager *meshManager = gz::common::MeshManager::Instance();
   mesh = meshManager->Load(fullPath);
+  if (!mesh)
+  {
+    gzerr << "Failed to load mesh: " << fullPath << std::endl;
+    return std::nullopt;
+  }
   std::vector<Triangle> meshTriangles;
   gz::math::MassMatrix3d meshMassMatrix;
   gz::math::Pose3d centreOfMass;
diff --git a/src/gui/plugins/apply_force_torque/ApplyForceTorque.cc b/src/gui/plugins/apply_force_torque/ApplyForceTorque.cc
index 24a607d20f..a2ca6ce79f 100644
--- a/src/gui/plugins/apply_force_torque/ApplyForceTorque.cc
+++ b/src/gui/plugins/apply_force_torque/ApplyForceTorque.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <string>
 
-#include <gz/common/MeshManager.hh>
 #include <gz/common/MouseEvent.hh>
 #include <gz/gui/Application.hh>
 #include <gz/gui/GuiEvents.hh>
diff --git a/src/gui/plugins/visualization_capabilities/VisualizationCapabilities.cc b/src/gui/plugins/visualization_capabilities/VisualizationCapabilities.cc
index 82e1492853..c5d24bc7ab 100644
--- a/src/gui/plugins/visualization_capabilities/VisualizationCapabilities.cc
+++ b/src/gui/plugins/visualization_capabilities/VisualizationCapabilities.cc
@@ -1245,7 +1245,14 @@ rendering::GeometryPtr VisualizationCapabilitiesPrivate::CreateGeometry(
     gz::common::MeshManager *meshManager =
         gz::common::MeshManager::Instance();
     descriptor.mesh = meshManager->Load(descriptor.meshName);
-    geom = this->scene->CreateMesh(descriptor);
+    if (descriptor.mesh)
+    {
+      geom = this->scene->CreateMesh(descriptor);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      gzerr << "Failed to load mesh: " << descriptor.meshName << std::endl;
+    }
     scale = _geom.MeshShape()->Scale();
   }
   else if (_geom.Type() == sdf::GeometryType::HEIGHTMAP)
diff --git a/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc b/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
index ab5d0ee92b..d94e6aa8b7 100644
--- a/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
+++ b/src/rendering/SceneManager.cc
@@ -813,8 +813,14 @@ rendering::GeometryPtr SceneManager::LoadGeometry(const sdf::Geometry &_geom,
     rendering::MeshDescriptor descriptor;
     descriptor.meshName = name;
     descriptor.mesh = meshManager->MeshByName(name);
-
-    geom = this->dataPtr->scene->CreateMesh(descriptor);
+    if (descriptor.mesh)
+    {
+      geom = this->dataPtr->scene->CreateMesh(descriptor);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      gzerr << "Unable to find the polyline mesh: " << name << std::endl;
+    }
   }
   else
   {