diff --git a/plugins/stockpiles/stockpiles.cpp b/plugins/stockpiles/stockpiles.cpp
index 3cd2cb31a..ab9d9c8f7 100644
--- a/plugins/stockpiles/stockpiles.cpp
+++ b/plugins/stockpiles/stockpiles.cpp
@@ -244,11 +244,20 @@ static command_result savestock ( color_ostream &out, vector <string> & paramete
         cereal.enable_debug ( out );
 
     if ( !is_dfstockfile ( file ) ) file += ".dfstock";
-    if ( !cereal.serialize_to_file ( file ) )
+    try
     {
-        out.printerr ( "could not save to %s\n", file.c_str() );
+        if ( !cereal.serialize_to_file ( file ) )
+        {
+            out.printerr ( "could not save to %s\n", file.c_str() );
+            return CR_FAILURE;
+        }
+    }
+    catch ( std::exception &e )
+    {
+        out.printerr ( "serialization failed: protobuf exception: %s\n", e.what() );
         return CR_FAILURE;
     }
+
     return CR_OK;
 }
 
@@ -296,9 +305,17 @@ static command_result loadstock ( color_ostream &out, vector <string> & paramete
     StockpileSerializer cereal ( sp );
     if ( debug )
         cereal.enable_debug ( out );
-    if ( !cereal.unserialize_from_file ( file ) )
+    try
     {
-        out.printerr ( "unserialization failed\n" );
+        if ( !cereal.unserialize_from_file ( file ) )
+        {
+            out.printerr ( "unserialization failed: %s\n", file.c_str() );
+            return CR_FAILURE;
+        }
+    }
+    catch ( std::exception &e )
+    {
+        out.printerr ( "unserialization failed: protobuf exception: %s\n", e.what() );
         return CR_FAILURE;
     }
     return CR_OK;
@@ -508,13 +525,16 @@ static int stockpiles_list_settings ( lua_State *L )
     return 1;
 }
 
+const std::string err_title = "Stockpile Settings Error";
+const std::string err_help = "Does the folder exist?\nCheck the console for more information.";
+
 static void stockpiles_load ( color_ostream &out, std::string filename )
 {
     std::vector<std::string> params;
     params.push_back ( filename );
     command_result r = loadstock ( out, params );
     if ( r !=  CR_OK )
-        show_message_box ( "Stockpile Settings Error", "Couldn't load. Does the folder exist?",  true );
+        show_message_box ( err_title, "Couldn't load. " + err_help,  true );
 }
 
 
@@ -524,7 +544,7 @@ static void stockpiles_save ( color_ostream &out, std::string filename )
     params.push_back ( filename );
     command_result r = savestock ( out, params );
     if ( r !=  CR_OK )
-        show_message_box ( "Stockpile Settings Error", "Couldn't save. Does the folder exist?",  true );
+        show_message_box ( err_title, "Couldn't save. " + err_help,  true );
 }
 
 DFHACK_PLUGIN_LUA_FUNCTIONS