diff --git a/infrahub_sdk/ctl/check.py b/infrahub_sdk/ctl/check.py
index 26373560..a5164173 100644
--- a/infrahub_sdk/ctl/check.py
+++ b/infrahub_sdk/ctl/check.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-import importlib
 import logging
 import sys
 from asyncio import run as aiorun
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
-from types import ModuleType
 from typing import Optional, Type
 
 import typer
@@ -18,6 +16,7 @@
 from ..ctl.exceptions import QueryNotFoundError
 from ..ctl.repository import get_repository_config
 from ..ctl.utils import catch_exception, execute_graphql_query
+from ..exceptions import ModuleImportError
 from ..schema import InfrahubCheckDefinitionConfig, InfrahubRepositoryConfig
 
 app = typer.Typer()
@@ -27,12 +26,9 @@
 @dataclass
 class CheckModule:
     name: str
-    module: ModuleType
+    check_class: Type[InfrahubCheck]
     definition: InfrahubCheckDefinitionConfig
 
-    def get_check(self) -> Type[InfrahubCheck]:
-        return getattr(self.module, self.definition.class_name)
-
 
 @app.callback()
 def callback() -> None:
@@ -67,11 +63,7 @@ def run(
 
     check_definitions = repository_config.check_definitions
     if name:
-        check_definitions = [check for check in repository_config.check_definitions if check.name == name]  # pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
-        if not check_definitions:
-            console.print(f"[red]Unable to find requested transform: {name}")
-            list_checks(repository_config=repository_config)
-            return
+        check_definitions = [repository_config.get_check_definition(name=name)]
 
     check_modules = get_modules(check_definitions=check_definitions)
     aiorun(
@@ -99,7 +91,7 @@ async def run_check(
     output = "stdout" if format_json else None
     log = logging.getLogger("infrahub")
     passed = True
-    check_class = check_module.get_check()
+    check_class = check_module.check_class
     check = check_class(client=client, params=params, output=output, root_directory=path, branch=branch)
     param_log = f" - {params}" if params else ""
     try:
@@ -231,25 +223,19 @@ async def run_checks(
 
 
 def get_modules(check_definitions: list[InfrahubCheckDefinitionConfig]) -> list[CheckModule]:
-    log = logging.getLogger("infrahub")
     modules = []
     for check_definition in check_definitions:
-        directory_name = str(check_definition.file_path.parent)
         module_name = check_definition.file_path.stem
 
-        if directory_name not in sys.path:
-            sys.path.append(directory_name)
+        relative_path = str(check_definition.file_path.parent) if check_definition.file_path.parent != Path() else None
 
         try:
-            module = importlib.import_module(module_name)
-        except ModuleNotFoundError:
-            log.error(f"Unable to load {check_definition.file_path}")
-            continue
-
-        if check_definition.class_name not in dir(module):
-            log.error(f"{check_definition.class_name} class not found in {check_definition.file_path}")
-            continue
-        modules.append(CheckModule(name=module_name, module=module, definition=check_definition))
+            check_class = check_definition.load_class(import_root=str(Path.cwd()), relative_path=relative_path)
+        except ModuleImportError as exc:
+            console.print(f"[red]{exc.message}")
+            raise typer.Exit(1) from exc
+
+        modules.append(CheckModule(name=module_name, check_class=check_class, definition=check_definition))
 
     return modules
 
diff --git a/infrahub_sdk/schema.py b/infrahub_sdk/schema.py
index 5d3a6bbc..e692285e 100644
--- a/infrahub_sdk/schema.py
+++ b/infrahub_sdk/schema.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from typing_extensions import TypeAlias
 
 from ._importer import import_module
+from .checks import InfrahubCheck
 from .exceptions import (
     InvalidResponseError,
     ModuleImportError,
@@ -89,6 +90,19 @@ class InfrahubCheckDefinitionConfig(InfrahubRepositoryConfigElement):
     )
     class_name: str = Field(default="Check", description="The name of the check class to run.")
 
+    def load_class(self, import_root: Optional[str] = None, relative_path: Optional[str] = None) -> type[InfrahubCheck]:
+        module = import_module(module_path=self.file_path, import_root=import_root, relative_path=relative_path)
+
+        if self.class_name not in dir(module):
+            raise ModuleImportError(message=f"The specified class {self.class_name} was not found within the module")
+
+        check_class = getattr(module, self.class_name)
+
+        if not issubclass(check_class, InfrahubCheck):
+            raise ModuleImportError(message=f"The specified class {self.class_name} is not an Infrahub Check")
+
+        return check_class
+
 
 class InfrahubGeneratorDefinitionConfig(InfrahubRepositoryConfigElement):
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="forbid")