diff --git a/R/Start.R b/R/Start.R
index 2be297b1cf0df03679544b751ef45ca2b6eabc30..abeb2c788704205f41c00423d06988f082da01c7 100644
--- a/R/Start.R
+++ b/R/Start.R
@@ -893,6 +893,12 @@ Start <- function(..., # dim = indices/selectors,
   found_pattern_dim <- found_pattern_dims(pattern_dims, dim_names, var_params,
                                           dim_params, dim_reorder_params)
 
+  # Check if file pattern contains '$var$' substring
+  if (!grepl("$var$", dim_params[[found_pattern_dim]], fixed = TRUE)) {
+    .warning(paste0("The special wildcard '$var$' is not present in the file ",
+                    "path. This might cause Start() to fail if it cannot parse",
+                    "the inner dimensions in all the files."))
+  }
   # Check all *_reorder are NULL or functions, and that they all have 
   # a matching dimension param.
   i <- 1