diff --git a/.github/workflows/tox.yml b/.github/workflows/tox.yml
index 557b255e94..deada31380 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tox.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tox.yml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
       WSLENV: FORCE_COLOR:PYTEST_REQPASS:TOXENV:GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
       # Number of expected test passes, safety measure for accidental skip of
       # tests. Update value if you add/remove tests.
-      PYTEST_REQPASS: 798
+      PYTEST_REQPASS: 799
     steps:
       - name: Activate WSL1
         if: "contains(matrix.shell, 'wsl')"
diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/_internal/load-failure.md b/src/ansiblelint/_internal/load-failure.md
index 78daa0dcd5..f88bfa9b7e 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/_internal/load-failure.md
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/_internal/load-failure.md
@@ -2,11 +2,16 @@
 
 "Linter failed to process a file, possible invalid file. Possible reasons:
 
-* contains unsupported encoding (only UTF-8 is supported)
-* not an Ansible file
-* it contains some unsupported custom YAML objects (`!!` prefix)
-* it was not able to decrypt an inline `!vault` block.
-
-This violation **is not** skippable, so it cannot be added to the `warn_list`
-or the `skip_list`. If a vault decryption issue cannot be avoided, the
-offending file can be added to `exclude_paths` configuration.
+- contains unsupported encoding (only UTF-8 is supported)
+- not an Ansible file
+- it contains some unsupported custom YAML objects (`!!` prefix)
+- it was not able to decrypt an inline `!vault` block.
+
+This violation **is not** skippable, so it cannot be added to the `warn_list` or
+the `skip_list`. If a vault decryption issue cannot be avoided, the offending
+file can be added to `exclude_paths` configuration.
+
+Possible errors codes:
+
+- `load-failure[not-found]` - Indicates that one argument file or folder was not
+  found on disk.
diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/_internal/rules.py b/src/ansiblelint/_internal/rules.py
index ba661f6d95..9c84be9a33 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/_internal/rules.py
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/_internal/rules.py
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@ class LoadingFailureRule(BaseRule):
     version_added = "v4.3.0"
     _help = LOAD_FAILURE_MD
     _order = 0
+    _ids = {
+        "load-failure[not-found]": "File not found",
+    }
 
 
 class WarningRule(BaseRule):
diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/file_utils.py b/src/ansiblelint/file_utils.py
index 168113147c..9ed93fda21 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/file_utils.py
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/file_utils.py
@@ -205,7 +205,9 @@ def __init__(  # noqa: C901
         if is_relative:
             name = name.relative_to(name.cwd())
         name = normpath_path(name)
-        self.path = name
+        # we need to be sure that we expanduser() because otherwise a simple
+        # test like .path.exists() will return unexpected results.
+        self.path = name.expanduser()
         # Filename is effective file on disk, for stdin is a namedtempfile
         self.name = self.filename = str(name)
 
diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/runner.py b/src/ansiblelint/runner.py
index 8e1f068028..4a62c13163 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/runner.py
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/runner.py
@@ -188,6 +188,16 @@ def _run(self) -> list[MatchError]:  # noqa: C901
                     ),
                 )
                 lintable.stop_processing = True
+            # identify missing files/folders
+            if not lintable.path.exists():
+                matches.append(
+                    MatchError(
+                        lintable=lintable,
+                        message="File or found not found.",
+                        rule=LoadingFailureRule(),
+                        tag="load-failure[not-found]",
+                    ),
+                )
 
         # -- phase 1 : syntax check in parallel --
         def worker(lintable: Lintable) -> list[MatchError]:
diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/schemas/ansible-lint-config.json b/src/ansiblelint/schemas/ansible-lint-config.json
index 7a2042ba79..983e40b2e4 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/schemas/ansible-lint-config.json
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/schemas/ansible-lint-config.json
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
               "latest",
               "literal-compare",
               "load-failure",
+              "load-failure[not-found]",
               "loop-var-prefix",
               "loop-var-prefix[missing]",
               "loop-var-prefix[wrong]",
diff --git a/test/schemas/negative_test/.ansible-lint.md b/test/schemas/negative_test/.ansible-lint.md
index b840e54cc6..f1f230887e 100644
--- a/test/schemas/negative_test/.ansible-lint.md
+++ b/test/schemas/negative_test/.ansible-lint.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
         "latest",
         "literal-compare",
         "load-failure",
+        "load-failure[not-found]",
         "loop-var-prefix",
         "loop-var-prefix[missing]",
         "loop-var-prefix[wrong]",
diff --git a/test/test_runner.py b/test/test_runner.py
index 2dcf28e4c8..7b89f79867 100644
--- a/test/test_runner.py
+++ b/test/test_runner.py
@@ -173,3 +173,20 @@ def test_files_not_scanned_twice(default_rules_collection: RulesCollection) -> N
     # this second run should return 0 because the included filed was already
     # processed and added to checked_files, which acts like a bypass list.
     assert len(run2) == 0
+
+
+def test_runner_not_found(default_rules_collection: RulesCollection) -> None:
+    """Ensure that lintables aren't double-checked."""
+    checked_files: set[Lintable] = set()
+
+    filename = Path("this/folder/does/not/exist").resolve()
+    runner = Runner(
+        filename,
+        rules=default_rules_collection,
+        verbosity=0,
+        checked_files=checked_files,
+    )
+    result = runner.run()
+    assert len(runner.checked_files) == 1
+    assert len(result) == 1
+    assert result[0].tag == "load-failure[not-found]"