diff --git a/gitbutler-app/src/projects/commands.rs b/gitbutler-app/src/projects/commands.rs
index 69849f5cd..c3f1e0c7d 100644
--- a/gitbutler-app/src/projects/commands.rs
+++ b/gitbutler-app/src/projects/commands.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ use super::controller::{self, Controller};
 impl From<controller::UpdateError> for Error {
     fn from(value: controller::UpdateError) -> Self {
         match value {
+            controller::UpdateError::Validation(
+                controller::UpdateValidationError::KeyNotFound(path)
+            ) => Error::UserError {
+                code: Code::Projects,
+                message: format!("key '{}' not found", path.display()),
+            },
             controller::UpdateError::NotFound => Error::UserError {
                 code: Code::Projects,
                 message: "Project not found".into(),
diff --git a/gitbutler-app/src/projects/controller.rs b/gitbutler-app/src/projects/controller.rs
index 37b63a906..f20392549 100644
--- a/gitbutler-app/src/projects/controller.rs
+++ b/gitbutler-app/src/projects/controller.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ impl Controller {
     }
 
     pub async fn update(&self, project: &UpdateRequest) -> Result<Project, UpdateError> {
+        if let Some(super::AuthKey::Local { private_key_path, .. }) = &project.preferred_key {
+            use resolve_path::PathResolveExt;
+            let private_key_path = private_key_path.resolve();
+            if !private_key_path.exists() {
+                return Err(UpdateError::Validation(
+                    UpdateValidationError::KeyNotFound(private_key_path.to_path_buf()),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
         let updated = self
             .projects_storage
             .update(project)
@@ -203,9 +213,17 @@ pub enum UpdateError {
     #[error("project not found")]
     NotFound,
     #[error(transparent)]
+    Validation(UpdateValidationError),
+    #[error(transparent)]
     Other(#[from] anyhow::Error),
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum UpdateValidationError {
+    #[error("{0} not found")]
+    KeyNotFound(path::PathBuf),
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
 pub enum AddError {
     #[error("not a directory")]