diff --git a/src/AssetCache.cpp b/src/AssetCache.cpp
index ec54440..3297838 100644
--- a/src/AssetCache.cpp
+++ b/src/AssetCache.cpp
@@ -49,13 +49,25 @@ int AssetCache::fromFile(const char *cache_file) {
 #else
   while ((ret = fscanf(file, "%s %u %u\n", fpath, &fsum, &fsize)) != EOF) {
 #endif
-    Asset *asset = new Asset();
-    asset->filename.assign(fpath);
-    asset->flags &= ~Asset::IS_NULL;
-    asset->data_checksum = fsum;
-    asset->data_length = fsize;
-    assets->set(fpath, asset);
-    LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "opened " << fpath << " " << fsum << " " << fsize;
+    char fullpath[1024];
+    snprintf(fullpath, 1024, "%s/%s", directory.c_str(), fpath);
+    // only add the asset if it exists.
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    DWORD file_attrib = GetFileAttributes(fullpath);
+    if (file_attrib != INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES) {
+#else
+    // NOTE: TOCTOU/race vulnerability exists here, but I don't think it matters.
+    struct stat fstat;
+    if (stat(fullpath, &fstat) == 0) {
+#endif
+      Asset *asset = new Asset();
+      asset->filename.assign(fpath);
+      asset->flags &= ~Asset::IS_NULL;
+      asset->data_checksum = fsum;
+      asset->data_length = fsize;
+      assets->set(fpath, asset);
+      LOG(LOG_DEBUG) << "opened " << fpath << " " << fsum << " " << fsize;
+    }
   }
   return 0;
 }
@@ -71,10 +83,10 @@ int AssetCache::fromDir(const char *dir) {
 #else
   sprintf_s(cachepath, 1024, "%s/.CACHE", dir);
 #endif
+  directory.assign(dir);
   if (fromFile(cachepath) != 0) {
     LOG(LOG_INFO) << FUNC_NAME << ": " << cachepath << " does not exist";
   }
-  directory.assign(dir);
   traverseDir_r("");
   // TODO: move this to a "genChecksum()" sort of function
   /*HashEntry<Asset*> *entry;