diff --git a/bigframes/session/__init__.py b/bigframes/session/__init__.py
index da39ab43ce..bd813c8c6b 100644
--- a/bigframes/session/__init__.py
+++ b/bigframes/session/__init__.py
@@ -597,9 +597,16 @@ def _get_snapshot_sql_and_primary_key(
                 ).result()
             )[0][0]
             self._df_snapshot[table_ref] = snapshot_timestamp
-        table_expression = self.ibis_client.sql(
-            bigframes_io.create_snapshot_sql(table_ref, snapshot_timestamp)
-        )
+
+        try:
+            table_expression = self.ibis_client.sql(
+                bigframes_io.create_snapshot_sql(table_ref, snapshot_timestamp)
+            )
+        except google.api_core.exceptions.Forbidden as ex:
+            if "Drive credentials" in ex.message:
+                ex.message += "\nCheck https://cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/query-drive-data#Google_Drive_permissions."
+            raise
+
         return table_expression, primary_keys
 
     def _read_gbq_table(
@@ -1451,7 +1458,13 @@ def _start_query(
         job_config.labels = bigframes_io.create_job_configs_labels(
             job_configs_labels=job_config.labels, api_methods=api_methods
         )
-        query_job = self.bqclient.query(sql, job_config=job_config)
+
+        try:
+            query_job = self.bqclient.query(sql, job_config=job_config)
+        except google.api_core.exceptions.Forbidden as ex:
+            if "Drive credentials" in ex.message:
+                ex.message += "\nCheck https://cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/query-drive-data#Google_Drive_permissions."
+            raise
 
         opts = bigframes.options.display
         if opts.progress_bar is not None and not query_job.configuration.dry_run:
diff --git a/tests/unit/session/test_session.py b/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
index d38a393f27..5fc8996993 100644
--- a/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
+++ b/tests/unit/session/test_session.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def test_read_gbq_missing_parts(missing_parts_table_id):
     "not_found_table_id",
     [("unknown.dataset.table"), ("project.unknown.table"), ("project.dataset.unknown")],
 )
-def test_read_gdb_not_found_tables(not_found_table_id):
+def test_read_gbq_not_found_tables(not_found_table_id):
     bqclient = mock.create_autospec(google.cloud.bigquery.Client, instance=True)
     bqclient.project = "test-project"
     bqclient.get_table.side_effect = google.api_core.exceptions.NotFound(
@@ -47,6 +47,34 @@ def test_read_gdb_not_found_tables(not_found_table_id):
         session.read_gbq(not_found_table_id)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("api_name", "query_or_table"),
+    [
+        ("read_gbq", "project.dataset.table"),
+        ("read_gbq_table", "project.dataset.table"),
+        ("read_gbq", "SELECT * FROM project.dataset.table"),
+        ("read_gbq_query", "SELECT * FROM project.dataset.table"),
+    ],
+    ids=[
+        "read_gbq_on_table",
+        "read_gbq_table",
+        "read_gbq_on_query",
+        "read_gbq_query",
+    ],
+)
+def test_read_gbq_external_table_no_drive_access(api_name, query_or_table):
+    bqclient = mock.create_autospec(google.cloud.bigquery.Client, instance=True)
+    bqclient.project = "test-project"
+    bqclient.get_table.side_effect = google.api_core.exceptions.Forbidden(
+        "Access Denied: BigQuery BigQuery: Permission denied while getting Drive credentials."
+    )
+    session = resources.create_bigquery_session(bqclient=bqclient)
+
+    api = getattr(session, api_name)
+    with pytest.raises(google.api_core.exceptions.Forbidden):
+        api(query_or_table)
+
+
 @mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True)
 def test_session_init_fails_with_no_project():
     with pytest.raises(