diff --git a/kernels/src/kernels/utils.py b/kernels/src/kernels/utils.py
index eea224e9..8dd7bf2e 100644
--- a/kernels/src/kernels/utils.py
+++ b/kernels/src/kernels/utils.py
@@ -201,11 +201,11 @@ def install_kernel(
     package_name = package_name_from_repo_id(repo_id)
 
     variants = get_variants(api, repo_id=repo_id, revision=revision)
-    variant = resolve_variant(variants, backend)
-
-    if variant is None:
+    try:
+        variant = resolve_variant(variants, backend)
+    except FileNotFoundError as e:
         raise FileNotFoundError(
-            f"Cannot find a build variant for this system in {repo_id} (revision: {revision}). Available variants: {', '.join([variant.variant_str for variant in variants])}"
+            f"Cannot find a build variant: {e.filename} for this system in {repo_id} (revision: {revision}). Available variants: {', '.join([variant.variant_str for variant in variants])}"
         )
 
     allow_patterns = [f"build/{variant.variant_str}/*"]
@@ -478,9 +478,11 @@ def load_kernel(
     variants = get_variants(api, repo_id=repo_id, revision=locked_sha)
     variant = resolve_variant(variants, backend)
 
-    if variant is None:
+    try:
+        variant = resolve_variant(variants, backend)
+    except FileNotFoundError as e:
         raise FileNotFoundError(
-            f"Cannot find a build variant for this system in {repo_id} (revision: {locked_sha}). Available variants: {', '.join([variant.variant_str for variant in variants])}"
+            f"Cannot find a build variant: {e.filename} for this system in {repo_id} (revision: {locked_sha}). Available variants: {', '.join([variant.variant_str for variant in variants])}"
         )
 
     allow_patterns = [f"build/{variant.variant_str}/*"]
diff --git a/kernels/src/kernels/variants.py b/kernels/src/kernels/variants.py
index 9434b4c2..e9b454c9 100644
--- a/kernels/src/kernels/variants.py
+++ b/kernels/src/kernels/variants.py
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def resolve_variants(variants: list[Variant], backend: str | None = None) -> lis
         tvm_ffi_version = parse(tvm_ffi.__version__)
         tvm_ffi_version = Version(f"{tvm_ffi_version.major}.{tvm_ffi_version.minor}")
 
-    return _resolve_variant_for_system(
+    variants = _resolve_variant_for_system(
         variants=variants,
         selected_backend=selected_backend,
         cpu=cpu,
@@ -353,6 +353,11 @@ def resolve_variants(variants: list[Variant], backend: str | None = None) -> lis
         torch_cxx11_abi=torch_cxx11_abi,
         tvm_ffi_version=tvm_ffi_version,
     )
+    if not variants:
+        missing_variant = FileNotFoundError( "Variant not found.")
+        missing_variant.filename = f"torch{torch_version.major}{torch_version.minor}-{'cxx11' if torch_cxx11_abi else 'cxx98'}-cu{selected_backend.version.major}{selected_backend.version.minor}-{cpu}-{os}"
+        raise missing_variant
+
 
 
 def _resolve_variant_for_system(