diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializer.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializer.java
index 4ab0661905..782a238f07 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializer.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2023 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializer implements ResourceLoade
 				location = location.substring(OPTIONAL_LOCATION_PREFIX.length());
 			}
 			for (Resource resource : doGetResources(location, locationResolver)) {
-				if (resource.exists()) {
+				if (resource.isReadable()) {
 					resources.add(resource);
 				}
 				else if (!optional) {
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializerTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializerTests.java
index 3689bca1dd..1c091bf8a5 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/sql/init/AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializerTests.java
@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractScriptDatabaseInitializerTests<T extends AbstractS
 		assertThat(numberOfEmbeddedRows("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM EXAMPLE")).isEqualTo(1);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void whenDatabaseIsInitializedWithDirectoryLocationsThenFailureIsHelpful() {
+		DatabaseInitializationSettings settings = new DatabaseInitializationSettings();
+		settings.setSchemaLocations(Arrays.asList("/org/springframework/boot/sql/init"));
+		settings.setDataLocations(Arrays.asList("/org/springframework/boot/sql/init"));
+		T initializer = createEmbeddedDatabaseInitializer(settings);
+		assertThatIllegalStateException().isThrownBy(initializer::initializeDatabase)
+			.withMessage("No schema scripts found at location '/org/springframework/boot/sql/init'");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void whenContinueOnErrorIsFalseThenInitializationFailsOnError() {
 		DatabaseInitializationSettings settings = new DatabaseInitializationSettings();