diff --git a/nomad/datamodel/context.py b/nomad/datamodel/context.py
index f32e04196c1a4fdcb4bd9204cd71d4dd1446b89a..c8c2f6d43eafd1f26fd8d60df1b25dd56659a921 100644
--- a/nomad/datamodel/context.py
+++ b/nomad/datamodel/context.py
@@ -502,6 +502,10 @@ class ClientContext(Context):
         file_path = os.path.join(self.local_dir, path)
         return open(file_path, *args, **kwargs)
 
+    def raw_path_exists(self, path: str) -> bool:
+        file_path = os.path.join(self.local_dir, path)
+        return os.path.exists(file_path)
+
     def create_reference(
         self,
         section: MSection,