diff --git a/crates/uv-publish/src/lib.rs b/crates/uv-publish/src/lib.rs
index 869bb9dec62e..eac5fedc9792 100644
--- a/crates/uv-publish/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-publish/src/lib.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use std::{env, fmt, io};
 use thiserror::Error;
 use tokio::io::{AsyncReadExt, BufReader};
 use tokio_util::io::ReaderStream;
-use tracing::{debug, enabled, trace, Level};
+use tracing::{debug, enabled, trace, warn, Level};
 use url::Url;
 use uv_client::{BaseClient, OwnedArchive, RegistryClientBuilder, UvRetryableStrategy};
 use uv_configuration::{KeyringProviderType, TrustedPublishing};
@@ -469,10 +469,24 @@ pub async fn check_url(
         .wrap_existing(client);
 
     debug!("Checking for {filename} in the registry");
-    let response = registry_client
+    let response = match registry_client
         .simple(filename.name(), Some(index_url), index_capabilities)
         .await
-        .map_err(PublishError::CheckUrlIndex)?;
+    {
+        Ok(response) => response,
+        Err(err) => {
+            return match err.into_kind() {
+                uv_client::ErrorKind::PackageNotFound(_) => {
+                    // The package doesn't exist, so we can't have uploaded it.
+                    warn!(
+                        "Package not found in the registry; skipping upload check for {filename}"
+                    );
+                    Ok(false)
+                }
+                kind => Err(PublishError::CheckUrlIndex(kind.into())),
+            };
+        }
+    };
     let [(_, simple_metadata)] = response.as_slice() else {
         unreachable!("We queried a single index, we must get a single response");
     };
diff --git a/crates/uv/src/commands/publish.rs b/crates/uv/src/commands/publish.rs
index d0259ed5d809..88dcdf684245 100644
--- a/crates/uv/src/commands/publish.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/src/commands/publish.rs
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn publish(
             }
         } else if check_url.is_none() {
             warn_user_once!(
-                "Using `--keyring-provider` with a password or token and no check url has no effect"
+                "Using `--keyring-provider` with a password or token and no check URL has no effect"
             );
         } else {
             // We may be using the keyring for the simple index.
diff --git a/crates/uv/tests/it/publish.rs b/crates/uv/tests/it/publish.rs
index b49b0a81b930..32f2419248e2 100644
--- a/crates/uv/tests/it/publish.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/tests/it/publish.rs
@@ -241,8 +241,9 @@ fn check_keyring_behaviours() {
     ----- stderr -----
     warning: `uv publish` is experimental and may change without warning
     Publishing 1 file to https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
-    error: Failed to query check URL
-      Caused by: Package `ok` was not found in the registry
+    Uploading ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl ([SIZE])
+    error: Failed to publish `../../scripts/links/ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl` to https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
+      Caused by: Upload failed with status code 403 Forbidden. Server says: 403 Username/Password authentication is no longer supported. Migrate to API Tokens or Trusted Publishers instead. See https://test.pypi.org/help/#apitoken and https://test.pypi.org/help/#trusted-publishers
     "###
     );
 
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ fn check_keyring_behaviours() {
     ----- stderr -----
     warning: `uv publish` is experimental and may change without warning
     Publishing 1 file to https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
-    warning: Using `--keyring-provider` with a password or token and no check url has no effect
+    warning: Using `--keyring-provider` with a password or token and no check URL has no effect
     Uploading ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl ([SIZE])
     error: Failed to publish `../../scripts/links/ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl` to https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
       Caused by: Upload failed with status code 403 Forbidden. Server says: 403 Username/Password authentication is no longer supported. Migrate to API Tokens or Trusted Publishers instead. See https://test.pypi.org/help/#apitoken and https://test.pypi.org/help/#trusted-publishers
@@ -295,8 +296,11 @@ fn check_keyring_behaviours() {
     Request for dummy@https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
     Request for dummy@test.pypi.org
     warning: Keyring has no password for URL `https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok` and username `dummy`
-    error: Failed to query check URL
-      Caused by: Package `ok` was not found in the registry
+    Uploading ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl ([SIZE])
+    Request for dummy@https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
+    Request for dummy@test.pypi.org
+    error: Failed to publish `../../scripts/links/ok-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl` to https://test.pypi.org/legacy/?ok
+      Caused by: Upload failed with status code 403 Forbidden. Server says: 403 Username/Password authentication is no longer supported. Migrate to API Tokens or Trusted Publishers instead. See https://test.pypi.org/help/#apitoken and https://test.pypi.org/help/#trusted-publishers
     "###
     );