diff --git a/nodes.py b/nodes.py
index 374217eea..e68ec164e 100644
--- a/nodes.py
+++ b/nodes.py
@@ -952,7 +952,20 @@ class UNETLoader:
         elif weight_dtype == "fp8_e5m2":
             model_options["dtype"] = torch.float8_e5m2
 
-        unet_path = folder_paths.get_full_path_or_raise("diffusion_models", unet_name)
+        try:
+            unet_path = folder_paths.get_full_path_or_raise("diffusion_models", unet_name)
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            available = folder_paths.get_filename_list("diffusion_models")
+            available_models = "\n".join(f"- {name}" for name in available[:10])
+
+            raise FileNotFoundError(
+                f"UNet model '{unet_name}' was not found.\n\n"
+                f"Expected location:\n"
+                f"ComfyUI/models/unet/\n\n"
+                f"Available UNet models:\n"
+                f"{available_models if available_models else '(none found)'}"
+            )
+
         model = comfy.sd.load_diffusion_model(unet_path, model_options=model_options)
         return (model,)