diff --git a/pkg/flag/report_flags.go b/pkg/flag/report_flags.go
index 67d553b65553..d69443e89547 100644
--- a/pkg/flag/report_flags.go
+++ b/pkg/flag/report_flags.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/mattn/go-shellwords"
 	"github.com/samber/lo"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
 	dbTypes "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-db/pkg/types"
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/result"
 	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/types"
+	"github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/utils/fsutils"
 	xstrings "github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pkg/x/strings"
 )
 
@@ -238,6 +240,10 @@ func (f *ReportFlagGroup) ToOptions() (ReportOptions, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if viper.IsSet(f.IgnoreFile.ConfigName) && !fsutils.FileExists(f.IgnoreFile.Value()) {
+		return ReportOptions{}, xerrors.Errorf("ignore file not found: %s", f.IgnoreFile.Value())
+	}
+
 	return ReportOptions{
 		Format:           format,
 		ReportFormat:     f.ReportFormat.Value(),
diff --git a/pkg/flag/report_flags_test.go b/pkg/flag/report_flags_test.go
index 9440bf373905..b113d7c62f97 100644
--- a/pkg/flag/report_flags_test.go
+++ b/pkg/flag/report_flags_test.go
@@ -209,4 +209,16 @@ func TestReportFlagGroup_ToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantLogs, out.Messages(), tt.name)
 		})
 	}
+
+	t.Run("Error on non existing ignore file", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Cleanup(viper.Reset)
+
+		setValue(flag.IgnoreFileFlag.ConfigName, string("doesntexist"))
+		f := &flag.ReportFlagGroup{
+			IgnoreFile: flag.IgnoreFileFlag.Clone(),
+		}
+
+		_, err := f.ToOptions()
+		assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "ignore file not found: doesntexist")
+	})
 }