diff --git a/src/scdaq.cc b/src/scdaq.cc
index 122cfe7c200b6799c8021abf85afb1843ba7061e..706b7b37649c25eb1ca9d45ba6a0aa1f992450bf 100644
--- a/src/scdaq.cc
+++ b/src/scdaq.cc
@@ -205,10 +205,10 @@ if(argc < 2){
 
     //    utility::report_elapsed_time((tbb::tick_count::now() - mainStartTime).seconds());
     return retval;
-  } catch (std::exception& e) {
+  } catch (std::invalid_argument& e) {
     LOG(FATAL) << "Configuration invalid! Error text is \"" << e.what() << "\" Bailing out.";
     return EX_CONFIG;
-  } catch(std::exception& e) {
+  } catch (std::exception& e) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Error occurred. error text is: \"" << e.what() << "\"";
     return 1;
   }