diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/spi/discovery/tcp/ipfinder/sharedfs/TcpDiscoverySharedFsIpFinder.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/spi/discovery/tcp/ipfinder/sharedfs/TcpDiscoverySharedFsIpFinder.java
index a2b035ec6ccbf..e3fe39dcfb2cd 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/spi/discovery/tcp/ipfinder/sharedfs/TcpDiscoverySharedFsIpFinder.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/spi/discovery/tcp/ipfinder/sharedfs/TcpDiscoverySharedFsIpFinder.java
@@ -185,8 +185,13 @@ private File initFolder() throws IgniteSpiException {
         initFolder();
 
         Collection<InetSocketAddress> addrs = new LinkedList<>();
+        String[] fileNames = folder.list();
 
-        for (String fileName : folder.list()) {
+        if (fileNames == null)
+            throw new IgniteSpiException("Failed to list files in shared FS directory: " + folder
+                + ". Verify that the directory exists and the shared filesystem is accessible.");
+
+        for (String fileName : fileNames) {
             StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(fileName, DELIM);
 
             if (st.countTokens() != 2)