diff --git a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.cs b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.cs
index 2db41a0fb..60fce664b 100644
--- a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.cs
+++ b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.cs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ internal static bool Handle(MqttClientCertificateValidationEventArgs cvArgs)
                 if (cvArgs.SslPolicyErrors == System.Net.Security.SslPolicyErrors.RemoteCertificateChainErrors)
                 {
                     string caFile = cvArgs.ClientOptions.TlsOptions.CaFile;
-                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(caFile) && File.Exists(caFile))
+                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(caFile))
                     {
                         X509Certificate2Collection caCerts = new X509Certificate2Collection();
 #if NET6_0_OR_GREATER
diff --git a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientTlsOptionsBuilder.cs b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientTlsOptionsBuilder.cs
index 5dc5d96ac..8da97bbc2 100644
--- a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientTlsOptionsBuilder.cs
+++ b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/Options/MqttClientTlsOptionsBuilder.cs
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ public MqttClientTlsOptionsBuilder WithCaFile(string caFile)
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("WithCaFile cannot be used with a custom Certificate Validation Handler");
             }
-            WithCertificateValidationHandler(MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.Handle);
             _tlsOptions.CaFile = caFile;
+            WithCertificateValidationHandler(MqttClientCaFileCertificateValidationHandler.Handle);
             return this;
         }
 #endif