diff --git a/plugins/input/raster/raster_datasource.cpp b/plugins/input/raster/raster_datasource.cpp
index 1a6e1689c..f4e556c40 100644
--- a/plugins/input/raster/raster_datasource.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/raster/raster_datasource.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void raster_datasource::bind() const
    
     if (! boost::filesystem::exists(filename_))
         throw datasource_exception("Raster Plugin: " + filename_ + " does not exist");
-
+    
     try
     {         
         std::auto_ptr<image_reader> reader(mapnik::get_image_reader(filename_, format_));
@@ -111,11 +111,17 @@ void raster_datasource::bind() const
 #endif
         }
     }
+    catch (mapnik::image_reader_exception const& ex)
+    {
+        std::cerr << "Raster Plugin: image reader exception caught:" << ex.what() << std::endl;
+        throw;
+    }
     catch (...)
     {
         std::cerr << "Raster Plugin: exception caught" << std::endl;
+        throw;
     }
-   
+    
     is_bound_ = true;
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/input/raster/raster_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/raster/raster_featureset.cpp
index d47e48c01..3e8235de0 100644
--- a/plugins/input/raster/raster_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/raster/raster_featureset.cpp
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ feature_ptr raster_featureset<LookupPolicy>::next()
             }
          }
       }
+      catch (mapnik::image_reader_exception const& ex)
+      {
+          std::cerr << "Raster Plugin: image reader exception caught:" << ex.what() << std::endl;
+      }
       catch (...)
       {
          std::cerr << "Raster Plugin: exception caught" << std::endl;
diff --git a/src/tiff_reader.cpp b/src/tiff_reader.cpp
index 09ecefaf7..6c000a023 100644
--- a/src/tiff_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/tiff_reader.cpp
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ void tiff_reader::init()
     // TODO: error handling
     TIFFSetWarningHandler(0);
     TIFF* tif = load_if_exists(file_name_);
-    if (!tif) return;
-        
+    if (!tif) throw image_reader_exception ("Can't load tiff file");
+    
     char msg[1024];
-
+    
     if (TIFFRGBAImageOK(tif,msg))
     {
         TIFFGetField(tif, TIFFTAG_IMAGEWIDTH, &width_);