diff --git a/core/io/resource_loader.cpp b/core/io/resource_loader.cpp
index f026d5416caf..a8d1c02f7e81 100644
--- a/core/io/resource_loader.cpp
+++ b/core/io/resource_loader.cpp
@@ -282,13 +282,13 @@ Ref<Resource> ResourceLoader::_load(const String &p_path, const String &p_origin
 	load_paths_stack.push_back(original_path);
 
 	// Try all loaders and pick the first match for the type hint
-	bool found = false;
+	bool loader_found = false;
 	Ref<Resource> res;
 	for (int i = 0; i < loader_count; i++) {
 		if (!loader[i]->recognize_path(p_path, p_type_hint)) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		found = true;
+		loader_found = true;
 		res = loader[i]->load(p_path, original_path, r_error, p_use_sub_threads, r_progress, p_cache_mode);
 		if (!res.is_null()) {
 			break;
@@ -303,15 +303,25 @@ Ref<Resource> ResourceLoader::_load(const String &p_path, const String &p_origin
 		return res;
 	}
 
-	ERR_FAIL_COND_V_MSG(found, Ref<Resource>(),
-			vformat("Failed loading resource: %s. Make sure resources have been imported by opening the project in the editor at least once.", p_path));
-
 #ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
-	Ref<FileAccess> file_check = FileAccess::create(FileAccess::ACCESS_RESOURCES);
-	ERR_FAIL_COND_V_MSG(!file_check->file_exists(p_path), Ref<Resource>(), vformat("Resource file not found: %s (expected type: %s)", p_path, p_type_hint));
+	if (loader_found) {
+		Ref<FileAccess> file_check = FileAccess::create(FileAccess::ACCESS_RESOURCES);
+		if (!file_check->file_exists(p_path)) {
+			if (r_error) {
+				*r_error = ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND;
+			}
+			ERR_FAIL_V_MSG(Ref<Resource>(), vformat("Resource file not found: %s (expected type: %s)", p_path, p_type_hint));
+		} else
 #endif
-
-	ERR_FAIL_V_MSG(Ref<Resource>(), vformat("No loader found for resource: %s (expected type: %s)", p_path, p_type_hint));
+		{
+			ERR_FAIL_V_MSG(Ref<Resource>(), vformat("Failed loading resource: %s. Make sure resources have been imported by opening the project in the editor at least once.", p_path));
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (r_error) {
+			*r_error = ERR_FILE_UNRECOGNIZED;
+		}
+		ERR_FAIL_V_MSG(Ref<Resource>(), vformat("No loader found for resource: %s (expected type: %s)", p_path, p_type_hint));
+	}
 }
 
 // This implementation must allow re-entrancy for a task that started awaiting in a deeper stack frame.