diff --git a/ppocr/utils/save_load.py b/ppocr/utils/save_load.py
index 74a200f5e5661ecfe1409290871a931bdf18e99d..80f64dc5835d1a33a9f746f71715f9ea202310da 100755
--- a/ppocr/utils/save_load.py
+++ b/ppocr/utils/save_load.py
@@ -109,9 +109,14 @@ def init_model(config, program, exe):
     """
     checkpoints = config['Global'].get('checkpoints')
     if checkpoints:
-        path = checkpoints
-        fluid.load(program, path, exe)
-        logger.info("Finish initing model from {}".format(path))
+        if os.path.exists(checkpoints + '.pdparams'):
+            path = checkpoints
+            fluid.load(program, path, exe)
+            logger.info("Finish initing model from {}".format(path))
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Model checkpoints {} does not exists,"
+                "check if you lost the file prefix.".format(checkpoints + '.pdparams'))
 
     pretrain_weights = config['Global'].get('pretrain_weights')
     if pretrain_weights: