diff --git a/pylot/core/read/inputs.py b/pylot/core/read/inputs.py
index cd66e845..d4b30a49 100644
--- a/pylot/core/read/inputs.py
+++ b/pylot/core/read/inputs.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+from pylot.core.util.errors import ParameterError
 
 class AutoPickParameter(object):
     '''
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ class AutoPickParameter(object):
             for line in lines:
                 parspl = line.split('\t')[:2]
                 parFileCont[parspl[0].strip()] = parspl[1]
-        except Exception as e:
+        except IndexError as e:
             self._printParameterError(e)
             inputFile.seek(0)
             lines = inputFile.readlines()
@@ -136,11 +137,13 @@ class AutoPickParameter(object):
                     return self.__getitem__(param)
                 except KeyError as e:
                     self._printParameterError(e)
+                    raise ParameterError(e)
         except TypeError:
             try:
                 return self.__getitem__(args)
             except KeyError as e:
                 self._printParameterError(e)
+                raise ParameterError(e)
 
     def setParam(self, **kwargs):
         for param, value in kwargs.items():
diff --git a/pylot/core/util/errors.py b/pylot/core/util/errors.py
index daf21d46..8b28a348 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/errors.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/errors.py
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@ class DatastructureError(Exception):
 
 class OverwriteError(IOError):
     pass
+
+class ParameterError(Exception):
+    pass
\ No newline at end of file