diff --git a/dense_correspondence/evaluation/evaluation.py b/dense_correspondence/evaluation/evaluation.py
index d9acc189..1711d7b9 100644
--- a/dense_correspondence/evaluation/evaluation.py
+++ b/dense_correspondence/evaluation/evaluation.py
@@ -276,14 +276,21 @@ def evaluate_network_cross_scene(dcn=None, dataset=None, save=True):
         for annotated_pair in cross_scene_data:
 
             scene_name_a = annotated_pair["image_a"]["scene_name"]
-            scene_name_b = annotated_pair["image_b"]["scene_name"] 
-
+            scene_name_b = annotated_pair["image_b"]["scene_name"]
+            
+            if not os.path.isdir(dataset.get_full_path_for_scene(scene_name_a))\
+            or not os.path.isdir(dataset.get_full_path_for_scene(scene_name_b)):
+                print("at least one of these scene names does not exist:", scene_name_a, scene_name_b)
+                continue
+            print("these scene names both exist:", scene_name_a, scene_name_b)
+            
             image_a_idx = annotated_pair["image_a"]["image_idx"]
             image_b_idx = annotated_pair["image_b"]["image_idx"]
 
             img_a_pixels = annotated_pair["image_a"]["pixels"]
             img_b_pixels = annotated_pair["image_b"]["pixels"]
 
+
             dataframe_list_temp =\
                 DenseCorrespondenceEvaluation.single_cross_scene_image_pair_quantitative_analysis(dcn,
                 dataset, scene_name_a, image_a_idx, scene_name_b, image_b_idx,
@@ -1538,8 +1545,14 @@ def evaluate_network_qualitative_cross_scene(dcn, dataset, draw_human_annotation
         for annotated_pair in cross_scene_data:
 
             scene_name_a = annotated_pair["image_a"]["scene_name"]
-            scene_name_b = annotated_pair["image_b"]["scene_name"] 
-
+            scene_name_b = annotated_pair["image_b"]["scene_name"]
+            # some labeled cross scene data may not be in the configured dataset
+            # this checks that the scenes actually exist (i.e., have been downloaded)
+            if not os.path.isdir(dataset.get_full_path_for_scene(scene_name_a))\
+            or not os.path.isdir(dataset.get_full_path_for_scene(scene_name_b)):
+                print("at least one of these scene names does not exist:", scene_name_a, scene_name_b)
+                continue
+            print("these scene names exist:", scene_name_a, scene_name_b)    
             image_a_idx = annotated_pair["image_a"]["image_idx"]
             image_b_idx = annotated_pair["image_b"]["image_idx"]