diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.cpp b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.cpp
index fc513a3154..6c5508e9ba 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@
 
 CAF_PDM_SOURCE_INIT( RimRegularFileSurface, "RegularFileSurface" );
 
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+///
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+QString RimRegularFileSurface::propertyName()
+{
+    return "Property Values in File";
+}
+
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ///
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -72,8 +80,7 @@ bool RimRegularFileSurface::onLoadData()
 
         if ( !values.empty() )
         {
-            const QString propertyName = "File Property Values";
-            setProperty( propertyName, values );
+            setProperty( RimRegularFileSurface::propertyName(), values );
         }
 
         RimRegularSurface::onLoadData();
diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.h b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.h
index 2a969fe263..fe038aa979 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.h
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularFileSurface.h
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ public:
 
     bool onLoadData() override;
 
+    static QString propertyName();
+
     // File-based surface interface (from RimSurface)
     bool    isFileBased() const override { return true; }
     QString filePath() const override;
diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.cpp b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.cpp
index 7ecbe49014..166e118bdc 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #include "RimRegularSurface.h"
 
+#include "RiaLogging.h"
+
 #include "Surface/RigSurface.h"
 
 #include "RimSurfaceCollection.h"
@@ -208,6 +210,14 @@ void RimRegularSurface::clearCachedNativeData()
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool RimRegularSurface::updateSurfaceData()
 {
+    if ( m_depthProperty() != internal::fixedDepth() && !m_properties.contains( m_depthProperty() ) )
+    {
+        RiaLogging::warning( QString( "Surface '%1': Depth property '%2' not found." ).arg( userDescription(), m_depthProperty() ) );
+        setSurfaceData( nullptr );
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     // Adapted from xtgeo surf_xyz_from_ij
     auto computeXyzFromIj =
         []( int i, int j, double depth, double xori, double yori, double xinc, double yinc, double rotationDegrees ) -> cvf::Vec3d
@@ -390,12 +400,9 @@ void RimRegularSurface::setProperty( const QString& key, const std::vector<float
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ///
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-bool RimRegularSurface::setPropertyAsDepth( const QString& key )
+void RimRegularSurface::setPropertyAsDepth( const QString& key )
 {
-    if ( !m_properties.contains( key ) ) return false;
-
     m_depthProperty = key;
-    return true;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.h b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.h
index ce35fd3e4c..12cd7a478c 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.h
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimRegularSurface.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public:
     void setRotation( double rotation );
 
     void setProperty( const QString& key, const std::vector<float>& values );
-    bool setPropertyAsDepth( const QString& key );
+    void setPropertyAsDepth( const QString& key );
 
     int nx() const;
     int ny() const;
diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimSurfaceCollection.cpp b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimSurfaceCollection.cpp
index 3d97b3dc4a..4567e17e87 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimSurfaceCollection.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModel/Surfaces/RimSurfaceCollection.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ RimSurface* RimSurfaceCollection::createSurfaceFromFile( const QString& fileName
     {
         auto regularFileSurface = new RimRegularFileSurface;
         regularFileSurface->setFilePath( fileName );
+        regularFileSurface->setPropertyAsDepth( RimRegularFileSurface::propertyName() );
         newSurface = regularFileSurface;
     }
     else
diff --git a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModelCommands/RimcRegularSurface.cpp b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModelCommands/RimcRegularSurface.cpp
index 6ed4ec3cdf..d63f29d14f 100644
--- a/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModelCommands/RimcRegularSurface.cpp
+++ b/ApplicationLibCode/ProjectDataModelCommands/RimcRegularSurface.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ std::expected<caf::PdmObjectHandle*, QString> RimcRegularSurface_setPropertyAsDe
     RimRegularSurface* surface = self<RimRegularSurface>();
     if ( !surface ) return std::unexpected( "No surface found" );
 
-    if ( !surface->setPropertyAsDepth( m_name ) ) return std::unexpected( "Failed to set depth property." );
-
+    surface->setPropertyAsDepth( m_name );
     surface->onLoadData();
 
     if ( auto coll = surface->firstAncestorOrThisOfType<RimSurfaceCollection>() )
diff --git a/GrpcInterface/Python/rips/tests/test_surfaces.py b/GrpcInterface/Python/rips/tests/test_surfaces.py
index e7b6405d81..8a91304456 100644
--- a/GrpcInterface/Python/rips/tests/test_surfaces.py
+++ b/GrpcInterface/Python/rips/tests/test_surfaces.py
@@ -68,9 +68,6 @@ def test_create_regular_surface(rips_instance, initialize_test):
     assert s.nx == nx
     assert s.ny == ny
 
-    with pytest.raises(rips.RipsError, match="Failed to set depth property."):
-        s.set_property_as_depth(name="non_existing_property")
-
     with pytest.raises(
         rips.RipsError, match="Failed to set property: incorrect dimensions."
     ):
@@ -84,10 +81,6 @@ def test_create_regular_surface(rips_instance, initialize_test):
     s.nx = 30
     s.update()
 
-    # 'depth' property is now gone
-    with pytest.raises(rips.RipsError, match="Failed to set depth property."):
-        s.set_property_as_depth(name="depth")
-
 
 def test_create_regular_surface_invalid_values(rips_instance, initialize_test):
     case_path = dataroot.PATH + "/Case_with_10_timesteps/Real0/BRUGGE_0000.EGRID"