diff --git a/phpmainthread_test.go b/phpmainthread_test.go
index a49484b61f..b2d37b359f 100644
--- a/phpmainthread_test.go
+++ b/phpmainthread_test.go
@@ -175,9 +175,9 @@ func TestFinishBootingAWorkerScript(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestReturnAnErrorIf2WorkersHaveTheSameFileName(t *testing.T) {
 	workers = []*worker{}
-	w, err1 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: "filename.php", maxConsecutiveFailures: defaultMaxConsecutiveFailures})
+	w, err1 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: testDataPath + "/index.php"})
 	workers = append(workers, w)
-	_, err2 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: "filename.php", maxConsecutiveFailures: defaultMaxConsecutiveFailures})
+	_, err2 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: testDataPath + "/index.php"})
 
 	assert.NoError(t, err1)
 	assert.Error(t, err2, "two workers cannot have the same filename")
@@ -185,9 +185,9 @@ func TestReturnAnErrorIf2WorkersHaveTheSameFileName(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestReturnAnErrorIf2ModuleWorkersHaveTheSameName(t *testing.T) {
 	workers = []*worker{}
-	w, err1 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: "filename.php", name: "workername", maxConsecutiveFailures: defaultMaxConsecutiveFailures})
+	w, err1 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: testDataPath + "/index.php", name: "workername"})
 	workers = append(workers, w)
-	_, err2 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: "filename2.php", name: "workername", maxConsecutiveFailures: defaultMaxConsecutiveFailures})
+	_, err2 := newWorker(workerOpt{fileName: testDataPath + "/hello.php", name: "workername"})
 
 	assert.NoError(t, err1)
 	assert.Error(t, err2, "two workers cannot have the same name")
diff --git a/worker.go b/worker.go
index ee468bd6cd..0f9aa08765 100644
--- a/worker.go
+++ b/worker.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package frankenphp
 import "C"
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -98,6 +99,10 @@ func newWorker(o workerOpt) (*worker, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("worker filename is invalid %q: %w", o.fileName, err)
 	}
 
+	if _, err := os.Stat(absFileName); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("worker file not found %q: %w", absFileName, err)
+	}
+
 	if o.name == "" {
 		o.name = absFileName
 	}