diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0f5a6bd..5dcfdb0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Improve error messages generated by the command line
 - Build with crossterm terminal backend by default
 - Move UNIX IPC socket from the user's cache path to the user's runtime directory
+- Improve messages relating to errors in the configuration file
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/commands.rs b/src/commands.rs
index 24c586e..8c4ab39 100644
--- a/src/commands.rs
+++ b/src/commands.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::application::UserData;
 use crate::command::{
     parse, Command, GotoMode, JumpMode, MoveAmount, MoveMode, SeekDirection, ShiftMode, TargetMode,
 };
-use crate::config::Config;
+use crate::config::{user_configuration_directory, Config};
 use crate::events::EventManager;
 use crate::ext_traits::CursiveExt;
 use crate::library::Library;
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use cursive::traits::View;
 use cursive::views::Dialog;
 use cursive::Cursive;
 use log::{debug, error, info};
+use ncspot::CONFIGURATION_FILE_NAME;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 
 pub enum CommandResult {
@@ -213,7 +214,17 @@ impl CommandManager {
                 Ok(None)
             }
             Command::ReloadConfig => {
-                self.config.reload();
+                self.config.reload().map_err(|_| {
+                    format!(
+                        "Failed to reload configuration. Fix errors in {} and try again.",
+                        user_configuration_directory()
+                            .map(|ref mut path| {
+                                path.push(CONFIGURATION_FILE_NAME);
+                                path.to_string_lossy().to_string()
+                            })
+                            .expect("configuration directory expected but not found")
+                    )
+                })?;
 
                 // update theme
                 let theme = self.config.build_theme();
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index f2f8ef1..e3e7cca 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::error::Error;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::{RwLock, RwLockReadGuard, RwLockWriteGuard};
 use std::{fs, process};
@@ -195,7 +196,15 @@ impl Config {
     pub fn new(filename: Option<String>) -> Self {
         let filename = filename.unwrap_or(CONFIGURATION_FILE_NAME.to_owned());
         let values = load(&filename).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-            eprintln!("could not load config: {e}");
+            eprint!(
+                "There is an error in your configuration file at {}:\n\n{e}",
+                user_configuration_directory()
+                    .map(|ref mut path| {
+                        path.push(CONFIGURATION_FILE_NAME);
+                        path.to_string_lossy().to_string()
+                    })
+                    .expect("configuration directory expected but not found")
+            );
             process::exit(1);
         });
 
@@ -256,10 +265,14 @@ impl Config {
         crate::theme::load(theme)
     }
 
-    /// Reload the configuration file.
-    pub fn reload(&self) {
-        let cfg = load(&self.filename).expect("could not reload config");
-        *self.values.write().expect("can't writelock config values") = cfg
+    /// Attempt to reload the configuration from the configuration file.
+    ///
+    /// This only updates the values stored in memory but doesn't perform any additional actions
+    /// like updating active keybindings.
+    pub fn reload(&self) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
+        let cfg = load(&self.filename)?;
+        *self.values.write().unwrap() = cfg;
+        Ok(())
     }
 }