diff --git a/src/gallia/cli.py b/src/gallia/cli.py
index 7c726630a..1c2f436c9 100644
--- a/src/gallia/cli.py
+++ b/src/gallia/cli.py
@@ -325,7 +325,12 @@ def main() -> None:
     for fn in load_cli_init_plugins():
         fn(parsers)
 
-    config, config_path = load_config_file()
+    try:
+        config, config_path = load_config_file()
+    except ValueError as e:
+        print(f"invalid config: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
     build_cli(parsers, config, registry)
 
     parser = parsers["parser"]
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 5502eac1d..4e33942b2 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -76,3 +76,15 @@ def test_get_value(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     config, _ = load_config_file()
 
     assert config.get_value("gallia.foobar.baz") == "fiz"
+
+
+def test_invalid_config(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    config_file = tmp_path.joinpath("gallia.toml")
+    config_file.write_text(
+        """[gallia.foobar]
+baz = fiz
+"""
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        load_config_file(config_file)