diff --git a/src/scdaq.cc b/src/scdaq.cc
index adfb04c8767569c14403f5c51d6bf718704b1504..89ee78b0631e6d148187250627ac87c3e77d6fe5 100644
--- a/src/scdaq.cc
+++ b/src/scdaq.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     //    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;