diff --git a/worlds/Files.py b/worlds/Files.py
index 336a3090..dbeb54cf 100644
--- a/worlds/Files.py
+++ b/worlds/Files.py
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ class AutoPatchRegister(abc.ABCMeta):
 current_patch_version: int = 5
 
 
+class InvalidDataError(Exception):
+    """
+    Since games can override `read_contents` in APContainer,
+    this is to report problems in that process.
+    """
+
+
 class APContainer:
     """A zipfile containing at least archipelago.json"""
     version: int = current_patch_version
@@ -89,7 +96,15 @@ class APContainer:
         with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, "r") as zf:
             if file:
                 self.path = zf.filename
-            self.read_contents(zf)
+            try:
+                self.read_contents(zf)
+            except Exception as e:
+                message = ""
+                if len(e.args):
+                    arg0 = e.args[0]
+                    if isinstance(e.args[0], str):
+                        message = f"{arg0} - "
+                raise InvalidDataError(f"{message}This might be the incorrect world version for this file") from e
 
     def read_contents(self, opened_zipfile: zipfile.ZipFile) -> None:
         with opened_zipfile.open("archipelago.json", "r") as f: