diff --git a/packages/core/src/profile/config.ts b/packages/core/src/profile/config.ts
index cd85d7d1..cdd87682 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/profile/config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/profile/config.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ const listPersistence = ({ localDir }: { localDir: string }) => {
   }
 }
 
+export class ProfileLoadError extends Error {
+  constructor(message: string) {
+    super(message)
+  }
+}
+
 export const localProfilesConfig = (
   localDir: string,
   fsFromUrl: (url: string, baseDir: string) => Promise<VirtualFS>,
@@ -74,7 +80,7 @@ export const localProfilesConfig = (
   async function get(alias: string | undefined, opts?: { throwOnNotFound: boolean }): Promise<GetResult | undefined> {
     const throwOrUndefined = () => {
       if (opts?.throwOnNotFound) {
-        throw new Error(`Profile ${alias} not found`)
+        throw new ProfileLoadError(`Profile ${alias} not found`)
       }
       return undefined
     }
@@ -82,14 +88,23 @@ export const localProfilesConfig = (
     const { profiles, current } = await listP.read()
     const aliasToGet = alias ?? current
     if (!aliasToGet) {
-      return throwOrUndefined()
+      if (opts?.throwOnNotFound) {
+        throw new ProfileLoadError('Profile not specified and no current profile is set')
+      }
+      return undefined
     }
     const locationUrl = profiles[aliasToGet]?.location
     if (!locationUrl) {
+      if (opts?.throwOnNotFound) {
+        throw new ProfileLoadError(`No profile with alias ${aliasToGet}`)
+      }
       return throwOrUndefined()
     }
     const tarSnapshotStore = await storeFromUrl(locationUrl)
-    const profileInfo = await profileStore(tarSnapshotStore).ref.info()
+    const profileInfo = await profileStore(tarSnapshotStore).ref.info({ throwOnNotFound: false })
+    if (!profileInfo) {
+      throw new ProfileLoadError(`Could not load profile "${aliasToGet}" at ${locationUrl}. The profile may have been deleted`)
+    }
     return {
       alias: aliasToGet,
       location: locationUrl,
@@ -200,7 +215,10 @@ export const localProfilesConfig = (
         throw new Error(`Profile ${alias} already exists`)
       }
       const tarSnapshotStore = await storeFromUrl(fromLocation)
-      const info = await profileStore(tarSnapshotStore).ref.info()
+      const info = await profileStore(tarSnapshotStore).ref.info({ throwOnNotFound: false })
+      if (!info) {
+        throw new Error(`Cannot import profile from ${fromLocation}. The profile may have been deleted`)
+      }
       const newProfile = {
         id: info.id,
         alias,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/profile/store.ts b/packages/core/src/profile/store.ts
index f4092102..63ee12bc 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/profile/store.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/profile/store.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,14 @@ const readLines = (buffer: Buffer | undefined) => {
 
 const profileReader = (reader: FsReader) => {
   const { readJsonOrThrow, readJSON } = jsonReader(reader)
-  const info = async () => await readJsonOrThrow<Profile>(filenames.info)
+  async function info(opts: { throwOnNotFound: false }): Promise<Profile | undefined>
+  async function info(opts: { throwOnNotFound: true }): Promise<Profile>
+  async function info(): Promise<Profile>
+  async function info(
+    { throwOnNotFound = true }: { throwOnNotFound?: boolean } = { throwOnNotFound: true },
+  ): Promise<Profile | undefined> {
+    return await (throwOnNotFound ? readJsonOrThrow<Profile> : readJSON<Profile>)(filenames.info)
+  }
   return {
     info,
     driver: async () => (await info()).driver,