diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/encryption/StandardEncryptionManager.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/encryption/StandardEncryptionManager.java
index edfca5d2099a..04828d5f024f 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/encryption/StandardEncryptionManager.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/encryption/StandardEncryptionManager.java
@@ -71,10 +71,7 @@ public EncryptedOutputFile encrypt(OutputFile rawOutput) {
 
   @Override
   public InputFile decrypt(EncryptedInputFile encrypted) {
-    if (encrypted.keyMetadata().buffer() == null) {
-      throw new SecurityException(
-          "Unencrypted file " + encrypted.encryptedInputFile().location() + " in encrypted table");
-    }
+    Preconditions.checkNotNull(encrypted.keyMetadata().buffer(), "Invalid key metadata: null");
 
     KeyMetadata keyMetadata = KeyMetadata.parse(encrypted.keyMetadata().buffer());