diff --git a/src/odb/src/3dblox/3dblox.cpp b/src/odb/src/3dblox/3dblox.cpp
index 5c10e56a4f6..4222e784536 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/3dblox/3dblox.cpp
+++ b/src/odb/src/3dblox/3dblox.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <set>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
+#include <system_error>
 #include <unordered_set>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
@@ -454,6 +455,22 @@ void ThreeDBlox::createChiplet(const ChipletDef& chiplet)
 
   // Read DEF file
   if (!chiplet.external.def_file.empty()) {
+    std::error_code ec;
+    const bool def_exists
+        = std::filesystem::exists(chiplet.external.def_file, ec);
+    if (ec) {
+      logger_->error(utl::ODB,
+                     558,
+                     "Cannot access DEF file {}: {}",
+                     chiplet.external.def_file,
+                     ec.message());
+    }
+    if (!def_exists) {
+      logger_->error(utl::ODB,
+                     557,
+                     "DEF file does not exist: {}",
+                     chiplet.external.def_file);
+    }
     odb::defin def_reader(db_, logger_, odb::defin::DEFAULT);
     std::vector<odb::dbLib*> search_libs;
     for (odb::dbLib* lib : db_->getLibs()) {
diff --git a/src/odb/src/db/dbBlock.cpp b/src/odb/src/db/dbBlock.cpp
index fbeea28a3ad..48d5fe2e7f1 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/db/dbBlock.cpp
+++ b/src/odb/src/db/dbBlock.cpp
@@ -2996,7 +2996,7 @@ dbBlock* dbBlock::create(dbChip* chip_, const char* name_, char hier_delimiter_)
   _dbBlock* top = chip->block_tbl_->create();
   top->initialize(chip, nullptr, name_, hier_delimiter_);
   chip->top_ = top->getOID();
-  top->dbu_per_micron_ = chip_->getTech()->getDbUnitsPerMicron();
+  top->dbu_per_micron_ = static_cast<int>(chip_->getDb()->getDbuPerMicron());
   return (dbBlock*) top;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/odb/test/BUILD b/src/odb/test/BUILD
index c0707cce2a9..63986ff3d88 100644
--- a/src/odb/test/BUILD
+++ b/src/odb/test/BUILD
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ COMPULSORY_TESTS = [
 
 PASSFAIL_TESTS = [
     # pass-fail
+    "read_3dbx-fail",
     "test_block",
     "test_bterm",
     "test_destroy",
@@ -280,6 +281,8 @@ filegroup(
         "data/example2.bmap",
         "data/example3.bmap",
         "data/example4.bmap",
+        "data/fail.3dbx",
+        "data/fail_def.3dbv",
         "data/floorplan_initialize.def",
         "data/floorplan_initialize.v",
         "data/floorplan_initialize2.def",
diff --git a/src/odb/test/CMakeLists.txt b/src/odb/test/CMakeLists.txt
index dd1ceda26d6..95a12da29f1 100644
--- a/src/odb/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/odb/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ or_integration_tests(
     write_lef_polygon
     write_macro_placement
   PASSFAIL_TESTS
+    read_3dbx-fail
     cpp_tests
     test_block
     test_bterm
diff --git a/src/odb/test/data/fail.3dbx b/src/odb/test/data/fail.3dbx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9c5afcb13ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/odb/test/data/fail.3dbx
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+Header:
+  version: "1.0"
+  unit: "micron"
+  precision: 2000
+  include:
+    - nonexistent_include.3dbv
+
+Design:
+  name: "TestDesign"
diff --git a/src/odb/test/data/fail_def.3dbv b/src/odb/test/data/fail_def.3dbv
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..86d7a1180a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/odb/test/data/fail_def.3dbv
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+Header:
+  version: "1.0"
+  unit: "micron"
+  precision: 2000
+
+ChipletDef:
+  TestChiplet:
+    type: hier
+    external:
+      DEF_file: nonexistent.def
diff --git a/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.ok b/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.ok
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8505e8a6596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.ok
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[ERROR ORD-0072] nonexistent_file.3dbx does not exist.
+Caught expected error: main file not found
+[ERROR ODB-0521] Parser Error: 3DBV Parser Error: Cannot open file: data/nonexistent_include.3dbv
+Caught expected error: include file not found
+[ERROR ODB-0557] DEF file does not exist: data/nonexistent.def
+Caught expected error: DEF file not found
+pass
diff --git a/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.tcl b/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9a7e86138c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/odb/test/read_3dbx-fail.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+source "helpers.tcl"
+
+# Test that read_3dbx gives a proper error for a non-existent file
+# rather than segfaulting (regression test for issue #10082)
+
+# Test 1: Main file does not exist (Tcl proc raises ORD-0072 before C++ layer)
+if { [catch { read_3dbx "nonexistent_file.3dbx" } err_msg] } {
+  if { [string first "ORD-0072" $err_msg] < 0 } {
+    puts "FAIL: Wrong error for missing main file: $err_msg"
+    exit 1
+  }
+  puts "Caught expected error: main file not found"
+} else {
+  puts "FAIL: Expected an error for non-existent main file"
+  exit 1
+}
+
+# Test 2: Main file exists but references a non-existent include
+if { [catch { read_3dbx "data/fail.3dbx" } err_msg] } {
+  if { [string first "ODB-0521" $err_msg] < 0 } {
+    puts "FAIL: Wrong error for missing include file: $err_msg"
+    exit 1
+  }
+  puts "Caught expected error: include file not found"
+} else {
+  puts "FAIL: Expected an error for non-existent include file"
+  exit 1
+}
+
+# Test 3: 3DBV chiplet references a non-existent DEF file (ODB-0557 from createChiplet)
+if { [catch { read_3dbv "data/fail_def.3dbv" } err_msg] } {
+  if { [string first "ODB-0557" $err_msg] < 0 } {
+    puts "FAIL: Wrong error for missing DEF file: $err_msg"
+    exit 1
+  }
+  puts "Caught expected error: DEF file not found"
+} else {
+  puts "FAIL: Expected an error for non-existent DEF file"
+  exit 1
+}
+
+puts "pass"