diff --git a/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/curl.ts b/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/curl.ts
index 9b7935ff8d..11d350805d 100644
--- a/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/curl.ts
+++ b/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/curl.ts
@@ -150,9 +150,9 @@ const openCurlConnection = async (
   const caCertificate = caCertficatePath && (await insecureReadFile(caCertficatePath));
 
   try {
-    if (!options.url) {
-      throw new Error('URL is required');
-    }
+    invariant(options.url, 'URL must be defined');
+    invariant(!options.url.startsWith('file://'), 'Local file URIs are not supported');
+    
     const readyStateChannel = `${protocolName}.${request._id}.${REALTIME_EVENTS_CHANNELS.READY_STATE}`;
 
     const settings = await services.settings.get();
diff --git a/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/libcurl-promise.ts b/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/libcurl-promise.ts
index 10c3728f82..4d3d958b50 100644
--- a/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/libcurl-promise.ts
+++ b/packages/insomnia/src/main/network/libcurl-promise.ts
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ export const curlRequest = (options: CurlRequestOptions) =>
         authHeader,
         noDecompress = false,
       } = options;
-      // allow reading the file as the caCert is chosen by user
+
+      invariant(!finalUrl.startsWith('file://'), 'Local file URIs are not supported');
       const caCert = caCertficatePath && (await insecureReadFile(caCertficatePath));
 
       const { curl, debugTimeline } = createConfiguredCurlInstance({