diff --git a/src/library/kernel_serializer.cpp b/src/library/kernel_serializer.cpp
index fcfc4097c..d573ca95d 100644
--- a/src/library/kernel_serializer.cpp
+++ b/src/library/kernel_serializer.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
                 case level_kind::Succ:
                     return mk_succ(read());
                 }
-                throw_corrupted_file();
+                throw corrupted_stream_exception();
             });
     }
 };
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ public:
                     binder_info bi = read_binder_info(d);
                     return mk_local(n, pp_n, read(), bi);
                 }}
-                throw_corrupted_file(); // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+                throw corrupted_stream_exception(); // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
             });
     }
 };
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ static register_macro_deserializer_fn
 annotation_des_fn(get_annotation_opcode(),
                   [](deserializer & d, unsigned num, expr const * args) {
                       if (num != 1)
-                          throw_corrupted_file();
+                          throw corrupted_stream_exception();
                       name k;
                       d >> k;
                       return mk_annotation(k, args[0]);
diff --git a/src/library/module.cpp b/src/library/module.cpp
index 1c9d5fada..522a7ae88 100644
--- a/src/library/module.cpp
+++ b/src/library/module.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ Author: Leonardo de Moura
 #endif
 
 namespace lean {
+corrupted_file_exception::corrupted_file_exception(std::string const & fname):
+    exception(sstream() << "failed to import '" << fname << "', file is corrupted") {
+}
+
 typedef std::pair<std::string, std::function<void(serializer &)>> writer;
 
 struct module_ext : public environment_extension {
@@ -229,47 +233,50 @@ struct import_modules_fn {
         std::ifstream in(fname, std::ifstream::binary);
         if (!in.good())
             throw exception(sstream() << "failed to open file '" << fname << "'");
-        deserializer d1(in);
-        std::string header;
-        d1 >> header;
-        if (header != g_olean_header)
-            throw exception(sstream() << "file '" << fname << "' does not seem to be a valid object Lean file, invalid header");
-        unsigned major, minor, claimed_hash;
-        d1 >> major >> minor >> claimed_hash;
-        // Enforce version?
+        try {
+            deserializer d1(in);
+            std::string header;
+            d1 >> header;
+            if (header != g_olean_header)
+                throw exception(sstream() << "file '" << fname << "' does not seem to be a valid object Lean file, invalid header");
+            unsigned major, minor, claimed_hash;
+            d1 >> major >> minor >> claimed_hash;
+            // Enforce version?
 
-        unsigned num_imports  = d1.read_unsigned();
-        buffer<module_name> imports;
-        for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_imports; i++)
-            imports.push_back(read_module_name(d1));
+            unsigned num_imports  = d1.read_unsigned();
+            buffer<module_name> imports;
+            for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_imports; i++)
+                imports.push_back(read_module_name(d1));
 
-        unsigned code_size    = d1.read_unsigned();
-        std::vector<char> code(code_size);
-        for (unsigned i = 0; i < code_size; i++)
-            code[i] = d1.read_char();
+            unsigned code_size    = d1.read_unsigned();
+            std::vector<char> code(code_size);
+            for (unsigned i = 0; i < code_size; i++)
+                code[i] = d1.read_char();
 
-        unsigned computed_hash = hash(code_size, [&](unsigned i) { return code[i]; });
-        if (claimed_hash != computed_hash)
-            throw exception(sstream() << "file '" << fname << "' has been corrupted, checksum mismatch");
+            unsigned computed_hash = hash(code_size, [&](unsigned i) { return code[i]; });
+            if (claimed_hash != computed_hash)
+                throw exception(sstream() << "file '" << fname << "' has been corrupted, checksum mismatch");
 
-        module_info_ptr r = std::make_shared<module_info>();
-        r->m_fname        = fname;
-        r->m_counter      = imports.size();
-        r->m_module_idx   = g_null_module_idx;
-        m_import_counter++;
-        std::string new_base = dirname(fname.c_str());
-        std::swap(r->m_obj_code, code);
-        for (auto i : imports) {
-            auto d = load_module_file(new_base, i);
-            d->m_dependents.push_back(r);
+            module_info_ptr r = std::make_shared<module_info>();
+            r->m_fname        = fname;
+            r->m_counter      = imports.size();
+            r->m_module_idx   = g_null_module_idx;
+            m_import_counter++;
+            std::string new_base = dirname(fname.c_str());
+            std::swap(r->m_obj_code, code);
+            for (auto i : imports) {
+                auto d = load_module_file(new_base, i);
+                d->m_dependents.push_back(r);
+            }
+            m_module_info.insert(fname, r);
+            r->m_module_idx = m_next_module_idx++;
+
+            if (imports.empty())
+                add_import_module_task(r);
+            return r;
+        } catch (corrupted_stream_exception&) {
+            throw corrupted_file_exception(fname);
         }
-        m_module_info.insert(fname, r);
-        r->m_module_idx = m_next_module_idx++;
-
-        if (imports.empty())
-            add_import_module_task(r);
-
-        return r;
     }
 
     void add_asynch_task(asynch_update_fn const & f) {
diff --git a/src/library/module.h b/src/library/module.h
index ed6fe1c3c..fff16a638 100644
--- a/src/library/module.h
+++ b/src/library/module.h
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ Author: Leonardo de Moura
 #include "library/io_state.h"
 
 namespace lean {
+class corrupted_file_exception : public exception {
+public:
+    corrupted_file_exception(std::string const & fname);
+};
+
 class module_name {
     optional<unsigned> m_relative;
     name               m_name;
diff --git a/src/library/resolve_macro.cpp b/src/library/resolve_macro.cpp
index d71d9bb55..ebcf18e2b 100644
--- a/src/library/resolve_macro.cpp
+++ b/src/library/resolve_macro.cpp
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ static register_macro_deserializer_fn
 resolve_macro_des_fn(g_resolve_opcode,
                      [](deserializer &, unsigned num, expr const * args) {
                          if (num != 3)
-                             throw_corrupted_file();
+                             throw corrupted_stream_exception();
                          return mk_resolve_macro(args[0], args[1], args[2]);
                      });
 
diff --git a/src/library/string.cpp b/src/library/string.cpp
index 31fdd704f..f7f895764 100644
--- a/src/library/string.cpp
+++ b/src/library/string.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ static register_macro_deserializer_fn
 string_macro_des_fn(g_string_opcode,
                     [](deserializer & d, unsigned num, expr const *) {
                          if (num != 0)
-                             throw_corrupted_file();
+                             throw corrupted_stream_exception();
                          std::string v = d.read_string();
                          return mk_string_macro(v);
                     });
diff --git a/src/util/name.cpp b/src/util/name.cpp
index b75a01002..41ab6e5ae 100644
--- a/src/util/name.cpp
+++ b/src/util/name.cpp
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ public:
                     name prefix = read();
                     return name(prefix, d.read_unsigned());
                 }}
-                throw_corrupted_file();
+                throw corrupted_stream_exception();
             });
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/util/object_serializer.h b/src/util/object_serializer.h
index 34b5a8e10..3354872eb 100644
--- a/src/util/object_serializer.h
+++ b/src/util/object_serializer.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public:
         } else {
             unsigned i = d.read_unsigned();
             if (i >= m_table.size())
-                throw_corrupted_file();
+                throw corrupted_stream_exception();
             return m_table[i];
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/util/serializer.cpp b/src/util/serializer.cpp
index 90db9921b..da3283d49 100644
--- a/src/util/serializer.cpp
+++ b/src/util/serializer.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ void serializer_core::write_int(int i) {
 
 #define BIG_BUFFER 1024
 
-void throw_corrupted_file() {
-    throw exception("corrupted binary file");
-}
+corrupted_stream_exception::corrupted_stream_exception():
+    exception("corrupted binary file") {}
 
 void serializer_core::write_double(double d) {
     std::ostringstream out;
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ std::string deserializer_core::read_string() {
         if (c == 0)
             break;
         if (c == EOF)
-            throw_corrupted_file();
+            throw corrupted_stream_exception();
         r += c;
     }
     return r;
diff --git a/src/util/serializer.h b/src/util/serializer.h
index 66807c2b4..080c5885f 100644
--- a/src/util/serializer.h
+++ b/src/util/serializer.h
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ inline deserializer & operator>>(deserializer & d, char & c) { c = d.read_char()
 inline deserializer & operator>>(deserializer & d, bool & b) { b = d.read_bool(); return d; }
 inline deserializer & operator>>(deserializer & d, double & b) { b = d.read_double(); return d; }
 
-[[ noreturn ]] void throw_corrupted_file();
+class corrupted_stream_exception : public exception {
+public:
+    corrupted_stream_exception();
+};
 
 template<typename T>
 serializer & write_list(serializer & s, list<T> const & ls) {
diff --git a/src/util/sexpr/sexpr.cpp b/src/util/sexpr/sexpr.cpp
index 5f150b5b3..3d13ad23f 100644
--- a/src/util/sexpr/sexpr.cpp
+++ b/src/util/sexpr/sexpr.cpp
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ public:
                     sexpr t = read();
                     return sexpr(h, t);
                 }}
-                throw_corrupted_file();
+                throw corrupted_stream_exception();
             });
     }
 };