diff --git a/source/source_hsolver/module_genelpa/utils.cpp b/source/source_hsolver/module_genelpa/utils.cpp
index 6654c33b9e..69eb885eb3 100644
--- a/source/source_hsolver/module_genelpa/utils.cpp
+++ b/source/source_hsolver/module_genelpa/utils.cpp
@@ -91,10 +91,15 @@ void loadMatrix(const char FileName[], int nFull, double* a, int* desca, int bla
 
     const int ROOT_PROC = 0;
     std::ifstream matrixFile;
-    if (myid == ROOT_PROC)
+    if (myid == ROOT_PROC){
         matrixFile.open(FileName);
 
-    double* b; // buffer
+	if (!matrixFile.is_open()) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: failed to open file " << FileName << std::endl;
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+    }
+double* b; // buffer
     const int MAX_BUFFER_SIZE = 1e9; // max buffer size is 1GB
 
     int N = nFull;