diff --git a/conda_build/build.py b/conda_build/build.py
index 3f7dc0470a..25b64c30ff 100644
--- a/conda_build/build.py
+++ b/conda_build/build.py
@@ -3977,7 +3977,10 @@ def build_tree(
     return list(built_packages.keys())
 
 
-def handle_anaconda_upload(paths, config):
+def handle_anaconda_upload(
+    paths: Iterable[str | os.PathLike | Path],
+    config: Config,
+) -> None:
     from .os_utils.external import find_executable
 
     paths = utils.ensure_list(paths)
@@ -4011,7 +4014,7 @@ def handle_anaconda_upload(paths, config):
             "# To have conda build upload to anaconda.org automatically, use\n"
             f"# {prompter}conda config --set anaconda_upload yes\n"
         )
-        no_upload_message += f"anaconda upload{joiner}" + joiner.join(paths)
+        no_upload_message += f"anaconda upload{joiner}" + joiner.join(map(str, paths))
 
     if not upload:
         print(no_upload_message)
@@ -4019,7 +4022,7 @@ def handle_anaconda_upload(paths, config):
 
     if not anaconda:
         print(no_upload_message)
-        sys.exit(
+        raise CondaBuildUserError(
             "Error: cannot locate anaconda command (required for upload)\n"
             "# Try:\n"
             f"# {prompter}conda install anaconda-client"
diff --git a/tests/test_build.py b/tests/test_build.py
index f1a9f11736..4078d8273e 100644
--- a/tests/test_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_build.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from pytest_mock import MockerFixture
 
+    from conda_build.config import Config
     from conda_build.metadata import MetaData
 
 
@@ -369,3 +370,14 @@ def test_wsl_unsupported(
             env={},
             stats={},
         )
+
+
+def test_handle_anaconda_upload(testing_config: Config, mocker: MockerFixture):
+    mocker.patch(
+        "conda_build.os_utils.external.find_executable",
+        return_value=None,
+    )
+    testing_config.anaconda_upload = True
+
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        build.handle_anaconda_upload((), testing_config)