diff --git a/mitmproxy/cmdline.py b/mitmproxy/cmdline.py
index 3b54f0baf..fcf1f89f0 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/cmdline.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/cmdline.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import re
 
 import configargparse
 
+from mitmproxy import exceptions
 from mitmproxy import filt
 from mitmproxy.proxy import config
 from netlib import human
@@ -149,17 +150,17 @@ def get_common_options(args):
         try:
             p = parse_replace_hook(i)
         except ParseException as e:
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(e)
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(e)
         reps.append(p)
     for i in args.replace_file:
         try:
             patt, rex, path = parse_replace_hook(i)
         except ParseException as e:
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(e)
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(e)
         try:
             v = open(path, "rb").read()
         except IOError as e:
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(
                 "Could not read replace file: %s" % path
             )
         reps.append((patt, rex, v))
@@ -169,17 +170,17 @@ def get_common_options(args):
         try:
             p = parse_setheader(i)
         except ParseException as e:
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(e)
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(e)
         setheaders.append(p)
 
     if args.outfile and args.outfile[0] == args.rfile:
         if args.outfile[1] == "wb":
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(
                 "Cannot use '{}' for both reading and writing flows. "
                 "Are you looking for --afile?".format(args.rfile)
             )
         else:
-            raise configargparse.ArgumentTypeError(
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(
                 "Cannot use '{}' for both reading and appending flows. "
                 "That would trigger an infinite loop."
             )
@@ -194,7 +195,12 @@ def get_common_options(args):
 
     body_size_limit = args.body_size_limit
     if body_size_limit:
-        body_size_limit = human.parse_size(body_size_limit)
+        try:
+            body_size_limit = human.parse_size(body_size_limit)
+        except ValueError, e:
+            raise exceptions.OptionsError(
+                "Invalid body size limit specification: %s" % body_size_limit
+            )
 
     return dict(
         app=args.app,
diff --git a/mitmproxy/main.py b/mitmproxy/main.py
index a245c979f..fee90d38c 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/main.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/main.py
@@ -64,16 +64,18 @@ def mitmproxy(args=None):  # pragma: no cover
     parser = cmdline.mitmproxy()
     args = parser.parse_args(args)
 
-    console_options = console.master.Options(**cmdline.get_common_options(args))
-    console_options.palette = args.palette
-    console_options.palette_transparent = args.palette_transparent
-    console_options.eventlog = args.eventlog
-    console_options.follow = args.follow
-    console_options.intercept = args.intercept
-    console_options.limit = args.limit
-    console_options.no_mouse = args.no_mouse
-
     try:
+        console_options = console.master.Options(
+            **cmdline.get_common_options(args)
+        )
+        console_options.palette = args.palette
+        console_options.palette_transparent = args.palette_transparent
+        console_options.eventlog = args.eventlog
+        console_options.follow = args.follow
+        console_options.intercept = args.intercept
+        console_options.limit = args.limit
+        console_options.no_mouse = args.no_mouse
+
         proxy_config = process_options(parser, console_options, args)
         server = get_server(console_options.no_server, proxy_config)
         m = console.master.ConsoleMaster(server, console_options)
@@ -96,12 +98,12 @@ def mitmdump(args=None):  # pragma: no cover
     if args.quiet:
         args.flow_detail = 0
 
-    dump_options = dump.Options(**cmdline.get_common_options(args))
-    dump_options.flow_detail = args.flow_detail
-    dump_options.keepserving = args.keepserving
-    dump_options.filtstr = " ".join(args.args) if args.args else None
 
     try:
+        dump_options = dump.Options(**cmdline.get_common_options(args))
+        dump_options.flow_detail = args.flow_detail
+        dump_options.keepserving = args.keepserving
+        dump_options.filtstr = " ".join(args.args) if args.args else None
         proxy_config = process_options(parser, dump_options, args)
         server = get_server(dump_options.no_server, proxy_config)
         master = dump.DumpMaster(server, dump_options)
@@ -130,16 +132,16 @@ def mitmweb(args=None):  # pragma: no cover
 
     args = parser.parse_args(args)
 
-    web_options = web.master.Options(**cmdline.get_common_options(args))
-    web_options.intercept = args.intercept
-    web_options.wdebug = args.wdebug
-    web_options.wiface = args.wiface
-    web_options.wport = args.wport
-    web_options.wsingleuser = args.wsingleuser
-    web_options.whtpasswd = args.whtpasswd
-    web_options.process_web_options(parser)
-
     try:
+        web_options = web.master.Options(**cmdline.get_common_options(args))
+        web_options.intercept = args.intercept
+        web_options.wdebug = args.wdebug
+        web_options.wiface = args.wiface
+        web_options.wport = args.wport
+        web_options.wsingleuser = args.wsingleuser
+        web_options.whtpasswd = args.whtpasswd
+        web_options.process_web_options(parser)
+
         proxy_config = process_options(parser, web_options, args)
         server = get_server(web_options.no_server, proxy_config)
         m = web.master.WebMaster(server, web_options)