Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference · error · InvalidImportException

Cannot load. Path {path} is correct but AssetDatabase cannot

Error message

Cannot load. Path {path} is correct but AssetDatabase cannot load now.

What it means

RenderPipelineResourcesEditorUtils.Load throws InvalidImportException when a ProjectPath asset has a valid GUID but AssetDatabase cannot currently load it. This happens during AssetDatabase reload/import phases when direct asset loading is temporarily blocked.

Source

Thrown at Editor/Mono/RenderPipelineResourcesEditorUtils.cs:191

            UnityEngine.Object Load(string path, Type type, SearchType location)
            {
                // Check if asset exist.
                // Direct loading can be prevented by AssetDatabase being reloading.
                var guid = AssetDatabase.AssetPathToGUID(path);
                if (location == SearchType.ProjectPath && String.IsNullOrEmpty(guid))
                    throw new InvalidImportException($"Failed to find {path} in {location}.");

                UnityEngine.Object result = type == typeof(Shader)
                    ? LoadShader(path, location)
                    : LoadNonShaderAssets(path, type, location);
                
                if (IsNull(result))
                    switch (location)
                    {
                        case SearchType.ProjectPath:
                            CheckTypeMismatch(path, type);
                            throw new InvalidImportException($"Cannot load. Path {path} is correct but AssetDatabase cannot load now.");
                        case SearchType.ShaderName: throw new InvalidImportException($"Failed to find {path} in {location}.");
                        case SearchType.BuiltinPath: throw new InvalidImportException($"Failed to find {path} in {location}.");
                        case SearchType.BuiltinExtraPath: throw new InvalidImportException($"Failed to find {path} in {location}.");
                    }
                    
                return result;
            }

            UnityEngine.Object LoadShader(string path, SearchType location)
            {
                switch (location)
                {
                    case SearchType.ShaderName:
                    case SearchType.BuiltinPath:
                    case SearchType.BuiltinExtraPath:
                        return Shader.Find(path);
                    case SearchType.ProjectPath:
                        return AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath(path, typeof(Shader));

View on GitHub (pinned to 225b0fbdb5)

Solutions

1. Defer the load until AssetDatabase is ready: use EditorApplication.delayCall or a deferred initialization flag.
2. Check EditorApplication.isCompiling and EditorApplication.isUpdating and retry after they complete.
3. Use AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath in a context where the database is settled (e.g., not during import callbacks).
4. Subscribe to AssetDatabase.importPackageCompleted or EditorApplication.update to retry the load once.
5. Wrap in try-catch for InvalidImportException and retry on next editor update tick.

Example fix

// before
// runs during [InitializeOnLoad] - AssetDatabase may not be ready
var shader = resource.Load(path, typeof(Shader), SearchType.ProjectPath);
// after
[InitializeOnLoad]
static class Loader
{
    static Loader()
    {
        EditorApplication.delayCall += DoLoad;
    }
    static void DoLoad()
    {
        if (!EditorApplication.isCompiling && !EditorApplication.isUpdating)
            var shader = resource.Load(path, typeof(Shader), SearchType.ProjectPath);
    }
}

if (!EditorApplication.isCompiling && !EditorApplication.isUpdating)
    var asset = resource.Load(path, type, SearchType.ProjectPath);
else
    EditorApplication.delayCall += () => resource.Load(path, type, SearchType.ProjectPath);

void TryLoadResource(Action<UnityEngine.Object> onSuccess, int maxRetries = 5)
{
    try { onSuccess(resource.Load(path, type, SearchType.ProjectPath)); }
    catch (InvalidImportException) when (EditorApplication.isCompiling || EditorApplication.isUpdating)
    {
        if (maxRetries > 0)
            EditorApplication.delayCall += () => TryLoadResource(onSuccess, maxRetries - 1);
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Loading a render pipeline resource at a ProjectPath where the GUID exists (asset is present) but AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath returns null because the AssetDatabase is mid-reload or mid-import.

Common situations: Code runs during AssetDatabase.Refresh or domain reload, when the AssetDatabase is temporarily unavailable. Common in editor initialization, [InitializeOnLoad] methods, or AssetPostprocessor callbacks that trigger render pipeline resource access too early.

Related errors

• Failed to find {path} in {location}.
• Host type is not matching any asset type at Path {path}.
• A shader '{assetPath}' cannot depend on the 'srp/default-sha
• ${renderPipelineType} must be a valid ${RenderPipeline}
• renderingLayerNames is null or empty

AI-assisted analysis of Unity-Technologies/UnityCsReference@225b0fbdb5 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ad308a23e276210f. Report an issue: GitHub.