diff --git a/bin/main.py b/bin/main.py
index e3d0941..3206a09 100644
--- a/bin/main.py
+++ b/bin/main.py
@@ -516,12 +516,13 @@ def train_validate_test(gpu, args):
     # Log the number of parameters by layer
     count_parameters_by_layer(model.module)
 
-    # Load the model weights if --load-model argument is provided (using the DATA_PATH directory as the root)
+    # Load the model weights if the model_file exists (using the DATA_PATH directory as the root)
     # TODO: Process model loading in the get_setup function
-    if args.model_file:
+    checkpoint_path = os.path.join(config["DATA_PATH"], args.model_file),
+    if args.model_file and os.path.exists(checkpoint_path):
         load_model(
             trainer=Trainer,
-            checkpoint_path=os.path.join(config["DATA_PATH"], args.model_file),
+            checkpoint_path=checkpoint_path,
             rank=rank,
             from_checkpoint=args.from_checkpoint,
         )