diff --git a/utils/file_utils.go b/utils/file_utils.go
index bbad8db..540027d 100644
--- a/utils/file_utils.go
+++ b/utils/file_utils.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 package utils
 
 import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -30,14 +32,20 @@ func NewFileDirReader(fileDir string, recursive bool, maxDepth int) (*StringArra
 	var filePaths []string
 	rootDepth := pathDepth(fileDir)
 
+	var errs []error
+
 	// filePaths is safely appended within WalkDir because WalkDir executes the callback sequentially.
 	// No race conditions occur in this implementation, even with slice reallocation.
 	err := filepath.WalkDir(fileDir, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", path, err))
+			if d != nil && d.IsDir() {
+				return fs.SkipDir
+			}
+			return nil
 		}
 
-		if !d.IsDir() {
+		if d != nil && !d.IsDir() {
 			filePaths = append(filePaths, path)
 			return nil
 		}
@@ -54,9 +62,10 @@ func NewFileDirReader(fileDir string, recursive bool, maxDepth int) (*StringArra
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		errs = append(errs, err)
 	}
-	return &StringArrayReader{strings: filePaths}, nil
+
+	return &StringArrayReader{strings: filePaths}, errors.Join(errs...)
 }
 
 // pathDepth returns the depth of a given path by counting its components.
diff --git a/utils/file_utils_test.go b/utils/file_utils_test.go
index 7ea8826..3313d48 100644
--- a/utils/file_utils_test.go
+++ b/utils/file_utils_test.go
@@ -169,22 +169,53 @@ func Test_NewFileDirReader_Error(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	rootDir := t.TempDir()
-	noPerm := os.FileMode(0000)
-	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(rootDir, "a.txt"), []byte("hello world!"), noPerm); err != nil {
+	rwxPerm := os.FileMode(0755)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(rootDir, "a.txt"), []byte("hello world!"), rwxPerm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while WriteFile %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(rootDir, "z.txt"), []byte("hello world!"), rwxPerm); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while WriteFile %v", err)
 	}
 	path := filepath.Join(rootDir, "sub")
+	noPerm := os.FileMode(0000)
 	if err := os.Mkdir(path, noPerm); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while Mkdir %v", err)
 	}
-	_, err := NewFileDirReader(rootDir, false, 10)
+
+	path = filepath.Join(rootDir, "sub_2")
+	if err := os.Mkdir(path, rwxPerm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while Mkdir %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(path, "www.txt"), []byte("hello world!"), rwxPerm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error while WriteFile %v", err)
+	}
+
+	sr, err := NewFileDirReader(rootDir, false, 10)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error while NewFileDirReader err:%v", err)
 	}
-	_, err = NewFileDirReader(rootDir, true, 10)
+
+	sr, err = NewFileDirReader(rootDir, true, 10)
 	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "permission denied") {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error permissions denied message got:%v", err.Error())
 	}
+
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(
+		&StringArrayReader{
+			strings: []string{
+				filepath.Join(rootDir, "a.txt"),
+				// note we are ignoring, and not getting back sub permission denied directory
+				filepath.Join(rootDir, "sub_2/www.txt"),
+				filepath.Join(rootDir, "z.txt"),
+			},
+		},
+		sr,
+		cmp.AllowUnexported(StringArrayReader{}),
+	); diff != "" {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected StringArrayReader mismatch (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
+	}
+
 }
 
 func Test_pathDepth(t *testing.T) {