diff --git a/tensorflow/core/util/tensor_bundle/tensor_bundle.cc b/tensorflow/core/util/tensor_bundle/tensor_bundle.cc
index 5c2bda4770f..dd04cea40d1 100644
--- a/tensorflow/core/util/tensor_bundle/tensor_bundle.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/core/util/tensor_bundle/tensor_bundle.cc
@@ -238,6 +238,23 @@ bool IsFullSlice(const TensorSlice& slice_spec,
   }
 }
 
+Status CorruptFileError(const Status& in_status, const string& filename,
+                        const string& detail) {
+  if (in_status.ok()) {
+    return errors::Internal("Unable to read file (", filename,
+                            "). Perhaps the file is corrupt or was produced by "
+                            "a newer version of TensorFlow with format changes "
+                            "(",
+                            detail, ")");
+  }
+  return Status(
+      in_status.code(),
+      strings::StrCat("Unable to read file (", filename,
+                      "). Perhaps the file is corrupt or was produced by a "
+                      "newer version of TensorFlow with format changes (",
+                      detail, "): ", in_status.error_message()));
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 
 BundleWriter::BundleWriter(Env* env, StringPiece prefix)
@@ -433,11 +450,13 @@ static Status MergeOneBundle(Env* env, StringPiece prefix,
   // Process header.
   {
     iter->Seek(kHeaderEntryKey);
-    CHECK(iter->Valid()) << "File: " << filename
-                         << ", iterator status: " << iter->status();
+    if (!iter->Valid()) {
+      return CorruptFileError(iter->status(), filename,
+                              "failed to seek to header entry");
+    }
     BundleHeaderProto header;
-    TF_CHECK_OK(ParseEntryProto(iter->key(), iter->value(), &header));
-    CHECK_GE(header.num_shards(), 0);
+    Status s = ParseEntryProto(iter->key(), iter->value(), &header);
+    if (!s.ok()) return CorruptFileError(s, filename, "unable to parse header");
 
     merge_state->num_shards += header.num_shards();
     if (!merge_state->seen_first_bundle) {
@@ -584,10 +603,17 @@ BundleReader::BundleReader(Env* env, StringPiece prefix)
 
   // Reads "num_shards_" from the first entry.
   iter_->Seek(kHeaderEntryKey);
-  CHECK(iter_->Valid()) << "File: " << filename
-                        << ", iterator status: " << iter_->status();
+  if (!iter_->Valid()) {
+    status_ = CorruptFileError(iter_->status(), filename,
+                               "failed to seek to header entry");
+    return;
+  }
   BundleHeaderProto header;
-  TF_CHECK_OK(ParseEntryProto(iter_->key(), iter_->value(), &header));
+  status_ = ParseEntryProto(iter_->key(), iter_->value(), &header);
+  if (!status_.ok()) {
+    status_ = CorruptFileError(status_, filename, "unable to parse header");
+    return;
+  }
   num_shards_ = header.num_shards();
   if ((header.endianness() == BundleHeaderProto::BIG && port::kLittleEndian) ||
       (header.endianness() == BundleHeaderProto::LITTLE &&