diff --git a/pyiceberg/catalog/__init__.py b/pyiceberg/catalog/__init__.py
index b4ca9a2e5f..8628f6b64a 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/catalog/__init__.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/catalog/__init__.py
@@ -218,6 +218,14 @@ def infer_catalog_type(name: str, catalog_properties: RecursiveDict) -> CatalogT
     )
 
 
+def _check_required_catalog_properties(name: str, catalog_type: CatalogType, conf: RecursiveDict) -> None:
+    """Validate required properties for explicitly selected catalog types."""
+    if catalog_type in {CatalogType.REST, CatalogType.HIVE, CatalogType.SQL} and URI not in conf:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"URI missing, please provide using --uri, the config or environment variable PYICEBERG_CATALOG__{name.upper()}__URI"
+        )
+
+
 def load_catalog(name: str | None = None, **properties: str | None) -> Catalog:
     """Load the catalog based on the properties.
 
@@ -263,6 +271,7 @@ def load_catalog(name: str | None = None, **properties: str | None) -> Catalog:
         catalog_type = infer_catalog_type(name, conf)
 
     if catalog_type:
+        _check_required_catalog_properties(name, catalog_type, conf)
         return AVAILABLE_CATALOGS[catalog_type](name, cast(dict[str, str], conf))
 
     raise ValueError(f"Could not initialize catalog with the following properties: {properties}")
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_console.py b/tests/cli/test_console.py
index 0f896dc93f..81165e8b40 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_console.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_console.py
@@ -48,6 +48,19 @@ def test_missing_uri(mocker: MockFixture, empty_home_dir_path: str) -> None:
     assert result.output == "Could not initialize catalog with the following properties: {}\n"
 
 
+def test_hive_catalog_missing_uri_shows_helpful_error(mocker: MockFixture) -> None:
+    mock_env_config = mocker.MagicMock()
+    mock_env_config.get_catalog_config.return_value = {"type": "hive"}
+    mocker.patch("pyiceberg.catalog._ENV_CONFIG", mock_env_config)
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(run, ["--catalog", "my_hive_catalog", "list"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    assert "URI missing, please provide using --uri" in result.output
+    assert "'uri'" not in result.output
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def env_vars(mocker: MockFixture) -> None:
     mocker.patch.dict(os.environ, MOCK_ENVIRONMENT)