diff --git a/interface/src/ui/AssetUploadDialogFactory.cpp b/interface/src/ui/AssetUploadDialogFactory.cpp
index 16d966fe66..e163947c7c 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/AssetUploadDialogFactory.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/AssetUploadDialogFactory.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ void AssetUploadDialogFactory::handleUploadFinished(AssetUpload* upload, const Q
             case AssetUpload::TooLarge:
                 additionalError = "The uploaded content was too large and could not be stored in the asset-server.";
                 break;
+            case AssetUpload::ErrorLoadingFile:
+                additionalError = "The file could not be opened. Please check your permissions and try again.";
+                break;
             default:
                 // not handled, do not show a message box
                 return;
@@ -139,6 +142,8 @@ void AssetUploadDialogFactory::handleUploadFinished(AssetUpload* upload, const Q
         // display a message box with the error
         showErrorDialog(QFileInfo(upload->getFilename()).fileName(), additionalError);
     }
+    
+    upload->deleteLater();
 }
 
 void AssetUploadDialogFactory::showErrorDialog(const QString& filename, const QString& additionalError) {
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.cpp
index c9f5b804d4..780d062084 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.cpp
@@ -57,5 +57,11 @@ void AssetUpload::start() {
                 emit finished(this, hash);
             }
         });
+    } else {
+        // we couldn't open the file - set the error result
+        _result = ErrorLoadingFile;
+        
+        // emit that we are done
+        emit finished(this, QString());
     }
 }
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.h b/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.h
index f55f4f9b71..a678c0dc7e 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/AssetUpload.h
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ public:
         Success = 0,
         Timeout,
         TooLarge,
-        PermissionDenied
+        PermissionDenied,
+        ErrorLoadingFile
     };
     
     AssetUpload(QObject* parent, const QString& filename);