diff --git a/src/common/file_utils.cpp b/src/common/file_utils.cpp
index 7034891ba3..64a796a161 100644
--- a/src/common/file_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/common/file_utils.cpp
@@ -70,12 +70,18 @@ void FileUtils::readFromFile(
 }
 
 void FileUtils::createDir(const string& dir) {
-    if (filesystem::exists(dir)) {
-        throw Exception(StringUtils::string_format("Directory %s already exists.", dir.c_str()));
-    }
-    if (!filesystem::create_directory(dir)) {
+    try {
+        if (filesystem::exists(dir)) {
+            throw Exception(
+                StringUtils::string_format("Directory %s already exists.", dir.c_str()));
+        }
+        if (!filesystem::create_directory(dir)) {
+            throw Exception(StringUtils::string_format(
+                "Directory %s cannot be created. Check if it exists and remove it.", dir.c_str()));
+        }
+    } catch (exception& e) {
         throw Exception(StringUtils::string_format(
-            "Directory %s cannot be created. Check if it exists and remove it.", dir.c_str()));
+            "Failed to create directory %s due to: %s", dir.c_str(), e.what()));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/main/config_test.cpp b/test/main/config_test.cpp
index 8270e4c544..b7a46a2abf 100644
--- a/test/main/config_test.cpp
+++ b/test/main/config_test.cpp
@@ -19,3 +19,13 @@ TEST_F(ApiTest, ClientConfig) {
     ASSERT_NO_THROW(conn->setMaxNumThreadForExec(2));
     ASSERT_EQ(conn->getMaxNumThreadForExec(), 2);
 }
+
+TEST_F(ApiTest, DatabasePathIncorrect) {
+    spdlog::set_level(spdlog::level::debug);
+    try {
+        make_unique<Database>(DatabaseConfig("/\\0:* /? \" < > |"));
+        FAIL();
+    } catch (Exception& e) {
+        ASSERT_TRUE(string(e.what()).find("Failed to create directory") != string::npos);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tools/python_api/test/test_exception.py b/tools/python_api/test/test_exception.py
index c74d731704..298e6ec62d 100644
--- a/tools/python_api/test/test_exception.py
+++ b/tools/python_api/test/test_exception.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
+import sys
+sys.path.append('../build/')
+import kuzu
 
 
 def test_exception(establish_connection):
@@ -13,3 +16,9 @@ def test_exception(establish_connection):
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError,
                        match="Buffer manager exception: Resizing to a smaller Buffer Pool Size is unsupported."):
         db.resize_buffer_manager(1)
+
+
+def test_db_path_exception():
+    path = '/:* /? " < > |'
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match='filesystem error'):
+        kuzu.Database(str(path))
diff --git a/tools/shell/shell_runner.cpp b/tools/shell/shell_runner.cpp
index dcf4a0685f..df7f89b695 100644
--- a/tools/shell/shell_runner.cpp
+++ b/tools/shell/shell_runner.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     cout << "Enter \":help\" for usage hints." << endl;
     SystemConfig systemConfig(bpSizeInMB << 20);
     DatabaseConfig databaseConfig(databasePath, inMemoryFlag);
-    auto shell = EmbeddedShell(databaseConfig, systemConfig);
-    shell.run();
+    try {
+        auto shell = EmbeddedShell(databaseConfig, systemConfig);
+        shell.run();
+    } catch (exception &e) {
+        cerr << e.what() << endl;
+        return 1;
+    }
     return 0;
 }