diff --git a/js/ui/extensionSystem.js b/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
index e35c01ab8..3f23d273e 100644
--- a/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
+++ b/js/ui/extensionSystem.js
@@ -115,13 +115,18 @@ function enableExtension(uuid) {
     extensionOrder.push(uuid);
 
     let stylesheetNames = [global.session_mode + '.css', 'stylesheet.css'];
+    let theme = St.ThemeContext.get_for_stage(global.stage).get_theme();
     for (let i = 0; i < stylesheetNames.length; i++) {
-        let stylesheetFile = extension.dir.get_child(stylesheetNames[i]);
-        if (stylesheetFile.query_exists(null)) {
-            let theme = St.ThemeContext.get_for_stage(global.stage).get_theme();
+        try {
+            let stylesheetFile = extension.dir.get_child(stylesheetNames[i]);
             theme.load_stylesheet(stylesheetFile);
             extension.stylesheet = stylesheetFile;
             break;
+        } catch (e) {
+            if (e.matches(Gio.IOErrorEnum, Gio.IOErrorEnum.NOT_FOUND))
+                continue; // not an error
+            log(`Failed to load stylesheet for extension ${uuid}: ${e.message}`);
+            return;
         }
     }