diff --git a/lib/core/exception.py b/lib/core/exception.py
index 562d75ecc..1fee7e89c 100644
--- a/lib/core/exception.py
+++ b/lib/core/exception.py
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ class SqlmapFilePathException(SqlmapBaseException):
 class SqlmapGenericException(SqlmapBaseException):
     pass
 
+class SqlmapInstallationException(SqlmapBaseException):
+    pass
+
 class SqlmapMissingDependence(SqlmapBaseException):
     pass
 
diff --git a/lib/core/option.py b/lib/core/option.py
index 13b5afdbd..c8af249a0 100644
--- a/lib/core/option.py
+++ b/lib/core/option.py
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ from lib.core.enums import WIZARD
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapConnectionException
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapFilePathException
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapGenericException
+from lib.core.exception import SqlmapInstallationException
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapMissingDependence
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapMissingMandatoryOptionException
 from lib.core.exception import SqlmapMissingPrivileges
@@ -402,7 +403,13 @@ def _loadQueries():
         return retVal
 
     tree = ElementTree()
-    tree.parse(paths.QUERIES_XML)
+    try:
+        tree.parse(paths.QUERIES_XML)
+    except Exception, ex:
+        errMsg = "something seems to be wrong with "
+        errMsg += "the file '%s' ('%s'). Please make " % (paths.QUERIES_XML, ex)
+        errMsg += "sure that you haven't made any changes to it"
+        raise SqlmapInstallationException, errMsg
 
     for node in tree.findall("*"):
         queries[node.attrib['value']] = iterate(node)
diff --git a/lib/parse/payloads.py b/lib/parse/payloads.py
index 489a23990..7a7e617b8 100644
--- a/lib/parse/payloads.py
+++ b/lib/parse/payloads.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from xml.etree import ElementTree as et
 from lib.core.data import conf
 from lib.core.data import paths
 from lib.core.datatype import AttribDict
+from lib.core.exception import SqlmapInstallationException
 
 def cleanupVals(text, tag):
     if tag in ("clause", "where"):
@@ -67,6 +68,13 @@ def parseXmlNode(node):
         conf.tests.append(test)
 
 def loadPayloads():
-    doc = et.parse(paths.PAYLOADS_XML)
+    try:
+        doc = et.parse(paths.PAYLOADS_XML)
+    except Exception, ex:
+        errMsg = "something seems to be wrong with "
+        errMsg += "the file '%s' ('%s'). Please make " % (paths.PAYLOADS_XML, ex)
+        errMsg += "sure that you haven't made any changes to it"
+        raise SqlmapInstallationException, errMsg
+
     root = doc.getroot()
     parseXmlNode(root)