diff --git a/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py b/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
index 381a388..fa18a44 100644
--- a/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
+++ b/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from dotdrop.profile import Profile
 from dotdrop.action import Action, Transform
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 from dotdrop.utils import strip_home, debug_list, debug_dict
-from dotdrop.exceptions import UndefinedException, YamlException
+from dotdrop.exceptions import UndefinedException, YamlException, \
+    ConfigException
 
 
 TILD = '~'
@@ -400,7 +401,7 @@ class CfgAggregator:
                     err = f'{container} does not contain'
                     err += f' a {keys} entry named {key}'
                     self.log.err(err)
-                    raise Exception(err)
+                    raise ConfigException(err)
                 objects.append(obj)
             if not islist:
                 objects = objects[0]
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 14094ce..d1c2b44 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ from dotdrop.utils import get_tmpdir, removepath, \
     adapt_workers, check_version, pivot_path
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException, \
-    UndefinedException, UnmetDependency
+    UndefinedException, UnmetDependency, \
+    ConfigException, OptionsException
 
 LOG = Logger()
 TRANS_SUFFIX = 'trans'
@@ -877,10 +878,16 @@ def main():
     try:
         opts = Options()
     except YamlException as exc:
-        LOG.err(f'config error: {exc}')
+        LOG.err(f'error (yaml): {exc}')
+        return False
+    except ConfigException as exc:
+        LOG.err(f'error (config): {exc}')
         return False
     except UndefinedException as exc:
-        LOG.err(f'config error: {exc}')
+        LOG.err(f'error (deps): {exc}')
+        return False
+    except OptionsException as exc:
+        LOG.err(f'error (options): {exc}')
         return False
 
     if opts.debug:
diff --git a/dotdrop/exceptions.py b/dotdrop/exceptions.py
index 1c2503a..f5df6ed 100644
--- a/dotdrop/exceptions.py
+++ b/dotdrop/exceptions.py
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ class YamlException(Exception):
     """exception in CfgYaml"""
 
 
+class ConfigException(Exception):
+    """exception in config parsing/aggregation"""
+
+
+class OptionsException(Exception):
+    """dotdrop options exception"""
+
+
 class UndefinedException(Exception):
     """exception in templating"""
 
diff --git a/dotdrop/options.py b/dotdrop/options.py
index 00bb3fe..76cd7ee 100644
--- a/dotdrop/options.py
+++ b/dotdrop/options.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 from dotdrop.cfg_aggregator import CfgAggregator
 from dotdrop.action import Action
 from dotdrop.utils import uniq_list, debug_list, debug_dict
-from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException
+from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException, OptionsException
 
 ENV_PROFILE = 'DOTDROP_PROFILE'
 ENV_CONFIG = 'DOTDROP_CONFIG'
@@ -430,4 +430,4 @@ class Options(AttrMonitor):
 
     def _attr_set(self, attr):
         """error when some inexistent attr is set"""
-        raise Exception(f'bad option: {attr}')
+        raise OptionsException(f'bad option: {attr}')
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index 01f0d93..dc79987 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -354,6 +354,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
 
     # check python deps
 # pylint: disable=C0415
+
     # python-magic
     name = 'python-magic'
     err = f'missing python module \"{name}\"'
@@ -372,7 +373,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
         from docopt import docopt
         assert docopt
     except ImportError as exc:
-        raise Exception(err) from exc
+        raise UnmetDependency(err) from exc
 
     # jinja2
     name = 'jinja2'
@@ -381,7 +382,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
         import jinja2
         assert jinja2
     except ImportError as exc:
-        raise Exception(err) from exc
+        raise UnmetDependency(err) from exc
 
     # ruamel.yaml
     name = 'ruamel.yaml'
@@ -390,7 +391,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
         from ruamel.yaml import YAML
         assert YAML
     except ImportError as exc:
-        raise Exception(err) from exc
+        raise UnmetDependency(err) from exc
 
     # toml
     name = 'toml'
@@ -399,7 +400,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
         import toml
         assert toml
     except ImportError as exc:
-        raise Exception(err) from exc
+        raise UnmetDependency(err) from exc
 
     # distro
     name = 'distro'
@@ -408,7 +409,7 @@ def dependencies_met():
         import distro
         assert distro
     except ImportError as exc:
-        raise Exception(err) from exc
+        raise UnmetDependency(err) from exc
 
 # pylint: enable=C0415