diff --git a/rdmo/core/xml.py b/rdmo/core/xml.py
index 03211df268..d2b6dfc5c0 100644
--- a/rdmo/core/xml.py
+++ b/rdmo/core/xml.py
@@ -21,12 +21,13 @@
 }
 
 
-def read_xml_file(file_name):
+def read_xml_file(file_name, raise_exception=False):
     try:
         return ET.parse(file_name).getroot()
     except Exception as e:
         log.error('Xml parsing error: ' + str(e))
-        raise e from e
+        if raise_exception:
+            raise e from e
 
 
 def parse_xml_string(string):
diff --git a/rdmo/management/tests/test_viewset_upload.py b/rdmo/management/tests/test_viewset_upload.py
index 6132d67f16..ae731b3445 100644
--- a/rdmo/management/tests/test_viewset_upload.py
+++ b/rdmo/management/tests/test_viewset_upload.py
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
     'list': 'v1-management:upload-list'
 }
 
+xml_error_files = [
+    ('file-does-not-exist.xml', 'may not be blank'),
+    ('xml/error.xml', 'syntax error'),
+    ('xml/error-version.xml', 'RDMO XML Version: 99'),
+]
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('username,password', users)
 def test_list(db, client, username, password):
@@ -110,13 +115,19 @@ def test_create_empty(db, client, username, password):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('username,password', users)
-def test_create_error(db, client, username, password):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('xml_file_path, error_message', xml_error_files)
+def test_create_error(db, client, username, password, xml_file_path, error_message):
     client.login(username=username, password=password)
 
-    xml_file = Path(settings.BASE_DIR) / 'xml' / 'error.xml'
-
+    xml_file = Path(settings.BASE_DIR).joinpath(xml_file_path)
     url = reverse(urlnames['list'])
-    with open(xml_file, encoding='utf8') as f:
-        response = client.post(url, {'file': f})
+    try:
+        with open(xml_file, encoding='utf8') as f:
+            response = client.post(url, {'file': f})
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        response = client.post(url)
 
     assert response.status_code == status_map['create_error'][username], response.json()
+    if response.status_code == 400:
+        response_msg = ",".join(response.json()['file'])
+        assert error_message in response_msg
diff --git a/rdmo/management/viewsets.py b/rdmo/management/viewsets.py
index e8eb114886..4357a39f59 100644
--- a/rdmo/management/viewsets.py
+++ b/rdmo/management/viewsets.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
 
         # step 2: parse xml
         try:
-            root = read_xml_file(import_tmpfile_name)
+            root = read_xml_file(import_tmpfile_name, raise_exception=True)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.info('XML parsing error. Import failed.')
             raise ValidationError({'file': [
diff --git a/testing/xml/error-version.xml b/testing/xml/error-version.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..efaaccaf70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/xml/error-version.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<rdmo xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" created="2023-04-20T09:39:10.351808+02:00" version="99.9.9">
+</rdmo>