diff --git a/src/Server.cc b/src/Server.cc
index d68d612117..fc28f36266 100644
--- a/src/Server.cc
+++ b/src/Server.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 */
 
 #include <numeric>
+#include <unordered_set>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_PYBIND11
 #include <pybind11/embed.h>
@@ -96,6 +97,17 @@ Server::Server(const ServerConfig &_config)
 
   addResourcePaths();
 
+  auto hasBlockingErrors = [](const sdf::Errors &_errors) {
+    std::unordered_set<sdf::ErrorCode> nonBlockingErrors =
+        {sdf::ErrorCode::URI_LOOKUP};
+    for (auto &err : _errors)
+    {
+      if (nonBlockingErrors.find(err.Code()) == nonBlockingErrors.end())
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  };
+
   sdf::Errors errors;
 
   switch (_config.Source())
@@ -158,7 +170,7 @@ Server::Server(const ServerConfig &_config)
       // a black screen (search for "Async resource download" in
       // 'src/gui_main.cc'.
       errors = sdfRoot.Load(filePath, sdfParserConfig);
-      if (errors.empty()) {
+      if (!hasBlockingErrors(errors)) {
         if (sdfRoot.Model() == nullptr) {
           this->dataPtr->sdfRoot = std::move(sdfRoot);
         }
@@ -173,7 +185,7 @@ Server::Server(const ServerConfig &_config)
             return;
           }
           world->AddModel(*sdfRoot.Model());
-          if (errors.empty()) {
+          if (!hasBlockingErrors(errors)) {
             errors = this->dataPtr->sdfRoot.UpdateGraphs();
           }
         }
@@ -198,7 +210,8 @@ Server::Server(const ServerConfig &_config)
   {
     for (auto &err : errors)
       gzerr << err << "\n";
-    return;
+    if (hasBlockingErrors(errors))
+      return;
   }
 
   // Add record plugin