diff --git a/Dalamud/Data/DataManager.cs b/Dalamud/Data/DataManager.cs
index d017bf85a..ed0aa6c4d 100644
--- a/Dalamud/Data/DataManager.cs
+++ b/Dalamud/Data/DataManager.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
         try
         {
             Log.Verbose("Starting data load...");
-            
+
             using (Timings.Start("Lumina Init"))
             {
                 var luminaOptions = new LuminaOptions
@@ -53,12 +53,25 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
                     DefaultExcelLanguage = this.Language.ToLumina(),
                 };
 
-                this.GameData = new(
-                    Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Environment.ProcessPath)!, "sqpack"),
-                    luminaOptions)
+                try
                 {
-                    StreamPool = new(),
-                };
+                    this.GameData = new(
+                        Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(Environment.ProcessPath)!, "sqpack"),
+                        luminaOptions)
+                    {
+                        StreamPool = new(),
+                    };
+                }
+                catch (Exception ex)
+                {
+                    Log.Error(ex, "Lumina GameData init failed");
+                    Util.Fatal(
+                        "Dalamud could not read required game data files. This likely means your game installation is corrupted or incomplete.\n\n" +
+                        "Please repair your installation by right-clicking the login button in XIVLauncher and choosing \"Repair game files\".",
+                        "Dalamud");
+
+                    return;
+                }
 
                 Log.Information("Lumina is ready: {0}", this.GameData.DataPath);
 
@@ -71,7 +84,7 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
                                 dalamud.StartInfo.TroubleshootingPackData);
                         this.HasModifiedGameDataFiles =
                             tsInfo?.IndexIntegrity is LauncherTroubleshootingInfo.IndexIntegrityResult.Failed or LauncherTroubleshootingInfo.IndexIntegrityResult.Exception;
-                        
+
                         if (this.HasModifiedGameDataFiles)
                             Log.Verbose("Game data integrity check failed!\n{TsData}", dalamud.StartInfo.TroubleshootingPackData);
                     }
@@ -130,7 +143,7 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
     #region Lumina Wrappers
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
-    public ExcelSheet<T> GetExcelSheet<T>(ClientLanguage? language = null, string? name = null) where T : struct, IExcelRow<T> 
+    public ExcelSheet<T> GetExcelSheet<T>(ClientLanguage? language = null, string? name = null) where T : struct, IExcelRow<T>
         => this.Excel.GetSheet<T>(language?.ToLumina(), name);
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
@@ -138,7 +151,7 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
         => this.Excel.GetSubrowSheet<T>(language?.ToLumina(), name);
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
-    public FileResource? GetFile(string path) 
+    public FileResource? GetFile(string path)
         => this.GetFile<FileResource>(path);
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
@@ -161,7 +174,7 @@ internal sealed class DataManager : IInternalDisposableService, IDataManager
             : Task.FromException<T>(new FileNotFoundException("The file could not be found."));
 
     /// <inheritdoc/>
-    public bool FileExists(string path) 
+    public bool FileExists(string path)
         => this.GameData.FileExists(path);
 
     #endregion