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")
+	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/result/filter_test.go b/pkg/result/filter_test.go
index 2e20234fa7ba..0298cd0d9582 100644
--- a/pkg/result/filter_test.go
+++ b/pkg/result/filter_test.go
@@ -1016,30 +1016,15 @@ func TestFilter(t *testing.T) {
 				})
 			}
 
-			ignoreFile := tt.args.ignoreFile
-			if ignoreFile == "" {
-				ignoreFile = result.DefaultIgnoreFile
-			}
 			err := result.Filter(ctx, tt.args.report, result.FilterOptions{
 				Severities:     tt.args.severities,
 				VEXSources:     vexSources,
 				IgnoreStatuses: tt.args.ignoreStatuses,
-				IgnoreFile:     ignoreFile,
+				IgnoreFile:     tt.args.ignoreFile,
 				PolicyFile:     tt.args.policyFile,
 			})
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			assert.Equal(t, tt.want, tt.args.report)
 		})
 	}
-
-	t.Run("Error on existent ignore file", func(t *testing.T) {
-		fakeTime := time.Date(2020, 8, 10, 7, 28, 17, 958601, time.UTC)
-		ctx := clock.With(context.Background(), fakeTime)
-		test := tests[0]
-
-		err := result.Filter(ctx, test.args.report, result.FilterOptions{
-			IgnoreFile: "invalid",
-		})
-		assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid error: invalid does not exist")
-	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/result/ignore.go b/pkg/result/ignore.go
index 771c1ffc3f8e..dbd1cab83db9 100644
--- a/pkg/result/ignore.go
+++ b/pkg/result/ignore.go
@@ -184,9 +184,6 @@ func (c *IgnoreConfig) MatchLicense(licenseID, filePath string) *IgnoreFinding {
 func ParseIgnoreFile(ctx context.Context, ignoreFile string) (IgnoreConfig, error) {
 	var conf IgnoreConfig
 	if _, err := os.Stat(ignoreFile); errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-		if ignoreFile != DefaultIgnoreFile {
-			return IgnoreConfig{}, xerrors.Errorf("%s does not exist", ignoreFile)
-		}
 		// .trivyignore doesn't necessarily exist
 		return IgnoreConfig{}, nil
 	} else if filepath.Ext(ignoreFile) == ".yml" || filepath.Ext(ignoreFile) == ".yaml" {