diff --git a/rex/utilities/utilities.py b/rex/utilities/utilities.py
index 8f53537df..09e32eb6f 100644
--- a/rex/utilities/utilities.py
+++ b/rex/utilities/utilities.py
@@ -344,8 +344,11 @@ def check_res_file(res_file):
         raise FileInputError(msg)
 
     else:
-        multi_h5_res, hsds = check_hsds_file(res_file)
-        bad = not hsds
+        try:
+            multi_h5_res, hsds = check_hsds_file(res_file)
+            bad = not hsds
+        except (OSError, ValueError):  # cannot connect to HSDS
+            bad = True
 
     if bad:
         msg = ("{} is not a valid file path, and HSDS "
diff --git a/rex/version.py b/rex/version.py
index 886bbf11c..64025e847 100644
--- a/rex/version.py
+++ b/rex/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """rex Version number"""
 
-__version__ = "0.3.4"
+__version__ = "0.3.5"
diff --git a/tests/test_utilities.py b/tests/test_utilities.py
index 593d8c554..9f52be1fc 100644
--- a/tests/test_utilities.py
+++ b/tests/test_utilities.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import pytest
 
-from rex.utilities import parse_table
+from rex.utilities import parse_table, check_res_file
 from rex import TESTDATADIR
 
 NSRDB_DIR = os.path.join(TESTDATADIR, 'nsrdb')
@@ -50,6 +50,25 @@ def test_parse_table():
         parse_table([0, 1, 2])
 
 
+def test_check_res_file_dne():
+    """Test check_res_file() when file does not exist"""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+        test_file = os.path.join(td, "gen.h5")
+
+        with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError) as error:
+            check_res_file(test_file)
+
+        expected_msg = ("gen.h5 is not a valid file path, and HSDS cannot "
+                        "be checked for a file at this path!")
+        assert expected_msg in str(error)
+
+        open(test_file, "w").close()  # pylint: disable=consider-using-with
+        multi_file, hsds = check_res_file(test_file)
+
+        assert not multi_file
+        assert not hsds
+
+
 def execute_pytest(capture='all', flags='-rapP'):
     """Execute module as pytest with detailed summary report.