diff --git a/src/catalog/catalog_set.cpp b/src/catalog/catalog_set.cpp
index 0c36fd5a39..5938faa344 100644
--- a/src/catalog/catalog_set.cpp
+++ b/src/catalog/catalog_set.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #include "catalog/catalog_set.h"
 
-#include "common/assert.h"
 #include "common/exception/catalog.h"
 #include "common/string_format.h"
 
@@ -15,27 +14,29 @@ bool CatalogSet::containsEntry(const std::string& name) const {
 
 CatalogEntry* CatalogSet::getEntry(const std::string& name) {
     // LCOV_EXCL_START
-    // We should not trigger the following check. If so, we should throw more informative error
-    // message at catalog level.
-    if (!containsEntry(name)) {
-        throw CatalogException(stringFormat("Cannot find catalog entry with name {}.", name));
-    }
+    validateExist(name);
     // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
     return entries.at(name).get();
 }
 
 void CatalogSet::createEntry(std::unique_ptr<CatalogEntry> entry) {
-    KU_ASSERT(!entries.contains(entry->getName()));
+    // LCOV_EXCL_START
+    validateNotExist(entry->getName());
+    // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
     entries.emplace(entry->getName(), std::move(entry));
 }
 
 void CatalogSet::removeEntry(const std::string& name) {
-    KU_ASSERT(containsEntry(name));
+    // LCOV_EXCL_START
+    validateExist(name);
+    // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
     entries.erase(std::move(name));
 }
 
 void CatalogSet::renameEntry(const std::string& oldName, const std::string& newName) {
-    KU_ASSERT(containsEntry(oldName));
+    // LCOV_EXCL_START
+    validateExist(oldName);
+    // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
     auto entry = std::move(entries.at(oldName));
     entry->rename(newName);
     entries.erase(oldName);
@@ -82,5 +83,19 @@ std::unique_ptr<CatalogSet> CatalogSet::copy() const {
     return newCatalogSet;
 }
 
+// Ideally we should not trigger the following check. Instead, we should throw more informative
+// error message at catalog level.
+void CatalogSet::validateExist(const std::string& name) const {
+    if (!containsEntry(name)) {
+        throw CatalogException(stringFormat("{} does not exist in catalog.", name));
+    }
+}
+
+void CatalogSet::validateNotExist(const std::string& name) const {
+    if (containsEntry(name)) {
+        throw CatalogException(stringFormat("{} already exists in catalog.", name));
+    }
+}
+
 } // namespace catalog
 } // namespace kuzu
diff --git a/src/include/catalog/catalog_set.h b/src/include/catalog/catalog_set.h
index 367dbbfa69..89b4dea9f7 100644
--- a/src/include/catalog/catalog_set.h
+++ b/src/include/catalog/catalog_set.h
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ class CatalogSet {
     static std::unique_ptr<CatalogSet> deserialize(common::Deserializer& deserializer);
     std::unique_ptr<CatalogSet> copy() const;
 
+private:
+    void validateExist(const std::string& name) const;
+    void validateNotExist(const std::string& name) const;
+
 private:
     common::case_insensitive_map_t<std::unique_ptr<CatalogEntry>> entries;
 };
diff --git a/test/test_files/ddl/ddl.test b/test/test_files/ddl/ddl.test
index 92861218cd..43e43e146c 100644
--- a/test/test_files/ddl/ddl.test
+++ b/test/test_files/ddl/ddl.test
@@ -62,6 +62,20 @@ Table likes has been created.
 -STATEMENT Call table_info('likes_person_organisation') RETURN *;
 ---- 1
 1|since|INT64
+-STATEMENT CREATE REL TABLE GROUP likes (FROM person TO person, FROM person TO organisation);
+---- error
+Binder exception: likes already exists in catalog.
+-STATEMENT CREATE REL TABLE GROUP knows (FROM person TO person, FROM person TO organisation);
+---- error
+Binder exception: knows already exists in catalog.
+-STATEMENT CREATE REL TABLE test_person_person (FROM person TO person);
+---- ok
+-STATEMENT CREATE REL TABLE GROUP test (FROM person TO person, FROM person TO organisation);
+---- error
+Catalog exception: test_person_person already exists in catalog.
+-STATEMENT CREATE REL TABLE GROUP test2 (FROM person TO person, FROM person TO person);
+---- error
+Catalog exception: test2_person_person already exists in catalog.
 
 -CASE CreateNodeTableCommitNormalExecution
 -STATEMENT CREATE NODE TABLE EXAM_PAPER(STUDENT_ID INT64, MARK DOUBLE, PRIMARY KEY(STUDENT_ID))