diff --git a/tests/test_10_client.py b/tests/test_10_client.py
index e42f38d..fb787c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_10_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_10_client.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import pytest
+
 from xarray_esgf import Client
 
 
-def test_download(tmp_path: Path, index_node: str) -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("check_files", [True, False])
+def test_download(tmp_path: Path, index_node: str, check_files: bool) -> None:
     selection: dict[str, str | list[str]] = {
         "query": '"tas_Amon_EC-Earth3-CC_ssp245_r1i1p1f1_gr_201901-201912.nc"'
     }
@@ -11,6 +14,7 @@ def test_download(tmp_path: Path, index_node: str) -> None:
         selection,
         esgpull_path=str(tmp_path / "esgpull"),
         index_node=index_node,
+        check_files=check_files,
     )
 
     downloaded = client.download()
diff --git a/xarray_esgf/client.py b/xarray_esgf/client.py
index 10022ae..de39113 100644
--- a/xarray_esgf/client.py
+++ b/xarray_esgf/client.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class Client:
     esgpull_path: str | Path | None = None
     index_node: str | None = None
     retries: int = 0
+    check_files: bool = True
     verify_ssl: bool = False
 
     @cached_property
@@ -91,9 +92,14 @@ def files(self) -> list[File]:
 
     @property
     def missing_files(self) -> list[File]:
-        return [
-            file for file in self.files if self._client.fs.check(file) != FileCheck.Ok
-        ]
+        missing_files = []
+        for file in tqdm.tqdm(self.files, desc="Looking for missing files:"):
+            file_path = Path(str(self._client.fs[file]))
+            if (self.check_files and self._client.fs.check(file) != FileCheck.Ok) or (
+                not self.check_files and not file_path.exists()
+            ):
+                missing_files.append(file)
+        return missing_files
 
     def download(self) -> list[File]:
         files = []
diff --git a/xarray_esgf/engine.py b/xarray_esgf/engine.py
index 67864bf..a00d585 100644
--- a/xarray_esgf/engine.py
+++ b/xarray_esgf/engine.py
@@ -16,17 +16,19 @@ def open_dataset(  # type: ignore[override]
         drop_variables: str | Iterable[str] | None = None,
         esgpull_path: str | Path | None = None,
         index_node: str | None = None,
+        retries: int = 0,
+        check_files: bool = True,
+        verify_ssl: bool = False,
         concat_dims: DATASET_ID_KEYS | Iterable[DATASET_ID_KEYS] | None = None,
         download: bool = False,
         show_progress: bool = True,
-        retries: int = 0,
-        verify_ssl: bool = False,
     ) -> Dataset:
         client = Client(
             selection=filename_or_obj,
             esgpull_path=esgpull_path,
             index_node=index_node,
             retries=retries,
+            check_files=check_files,
             verify_ssl=verify_ssl,
         )
         return client.open_dataset(