diff --git a/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.test.ts b/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.test.ts
index d7cd0d7c994..cf6bd25e2d5 100644
--- a/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.test.ts
+++ b/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.test.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,14 @@ dashedName: step-3
       process.env.CALLING_DIR = projectPath;
 
       expect(() => validateMetaData()).toThrow(
-        `ENOENT: no such file or directory, access '${projectPath}/1.md'`
+        `The file
+${projectPath}/1.md
+does not exist, but is required by the challengeOrder of
+${metaPath}/meta.json
+
+To fix this, you can rename the file containing id: 1 to 1.md
+If there is no file for this id, then either the challengeOrder needs to be updated, or the file needs to be created.
+`
       );
     });
 
diff --git a/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.ts b/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.ts
index 8e79c10a9f1..dbdc0ab9c1d 100644
--- a/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.ts
+++ b/tools/challenge-helper-scripts/helpers/project-metadata.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,21 @@ function validateMetaData(): void {
 
   // each step in the challengeOrder should correspond to a file
   challengeOrder.forEach(({ id }) => {
-    fs.accessSync(`${getProjectPath()}${id}.md`);
+    const filePath = `${getProjectPath()}${id}.md`;
+    try {
+      fs.accessSync(filePath);
+    } catch (e) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `The file
+${filePath}
+does not exist, but is required by the challengeOrder of
+${getProjectMetaPath()}
+
+To fix this, you can rename the file containing id: ${id} to ${id}.md
+If there is no file for this id, then either the challengeOrder needs to be updated, or the file needs to be created.
+`
+      );
+    }
   });
 
   // each file should have a corresponding step in the challengeOrder