diff --git a/nerfstudio/data/dataparsers/nerfstudio_dataparser.py b/nerfstudio/data/dataparsers/nerfstudio_dataparser.py
index cffc09be1..7b283d747 100644
--- a/nerfstudio/data/dataparsers/nerfstudio_dataparser.py
+++ b/nerfstudio/data/dataparsers/nerfstudio_dataparser.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class NerfstudioDataParserConfig(DataParserConfig):
 
     _target: Type = field(default_factory=lambda: Nerfstudio)
     """target class to instantiate"""
-    data: Path = Path("data/nerfstudio/poster")
+    data: Path = Path()
     """Directory or explicit json file path specifying location of data."""
     scale_factor: float = 1.0
     """How much to scale the camera origins by."""
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class Nerfstudio(DataParser):
     def _generate_dataparser_outputs(self, split="train"):
         # pylint: disable=too-many-statements
 
+        assert self.config.data.exists(), f"Data directory {self.config.data} does not exist."
+
         if self.config.data.suffix == ".json":
             meta = load_from_json(self.config.data)
             data_dir = self.config.data.parent