diff --git a/lib/cppcheck.cpp b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
index 4ca0c5364..bebaa87b7 100644
--- a/lib/cppcheck.cpp
+++ b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
@@ -259,7 +259,14 @@ bool CppCheck::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const argv[])
 
         // Checking coding style
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-s") == 0 || strcmp(argv[i], "--style") == 0)
-            _settings.addEnabled("style");
+        {
+            const std::string errmsg = _settings.addEnabled("style");
+            if (!errmsg.empty())
+            {
+                reportOut(errmsg);
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
 
         // Filter errors
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--suppressions") == 0)
@@ -319,7 +326,14 @@ bool CppCheck::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const argv[])
 
         // Check if there are unused functions
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--unused-functions") == 0)
-            _settings.addEnabled("unusedFunctions");
+        {
+            const std::string errmsg = _settings.addEnabled("unusedFunctions");
+            if (!errmsg.empty())
+            {
+                reportOut(errmsg);
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
 
         // Append userdefined code to checked source code
         else if (strncmp(argv[i], "--append=", 9) == 0)
@@ -351,7 +365,12 @@ bool CppCheck::parseFromArgs(int argc, const char* const argv[])
 
         else if (strncmp(argv[i], "--enable=", 9) == 0)
         {
-            _settings.addEnabled(argv[i] + 9);
+            const std::string errmsg = _settings.addEnabled(argv[i] + 9);
+            if (!errmsg.empty())
+            {
+                reportOut(errmsg);
+                return false;
+            }
         }
 
         // --error-exitcode=1
diff --git a/lib/settings.cpp b/lib/settings.cpp
index f3a21ba37..948abdc75 100644
--- a/lib/settings.cpp
+++ b/lib/settings.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ bool Settings::Suppressions::isSuppressed(const std::string &errorId, const std:
     return true;
 }
 
-void Settings::addEnabled(const std::string &str)
+std::string Settings::addEnabled(const std::string &str)
 {
     // Enable parameters may be comma separated...
     if (str.find(",") != std::string::npos)
@@ -142,15 +142,16 @@ void Settings::addEnabled(const std::string &str)
         while ((pos = str.find(",", pos)) != std::string::npos)
         {
             if (pos == prevPos)
-                throw std::runtime_error("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
-            addEnabled(str.substr(prevPos, pos - prevPos));
+                return std::string("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
+            const std::string errmsg(addEnabled(str.substr(prevPos, pos - prevPos)));
+            if (!errmsg.empty())
+                return errmsg;
             ++pos;
             prevPos = pos;
         }
         if (prevPos >= str.length())
-            throw std::runtime_error("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
-        addEnabled(str.substr(prevPos));
-        return;
+            return std::string("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
+        return addEnabled(str.substr(prevPos));
     }
 
     bool handled = false;
@@ -178,10 +179,12 @@ void Settings::addEnabled(const std::string &str)
     else if (!handled)
     {
         if (str.empty())
-            throw std::runtime_error("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
+            return std::string("cppcheck: --enable parameter is empty");
         else
-            throw std::runtime_error("cppcheck: there is no --enable parameter with the name '" + str + "'");
+            return std::string("cppcheck: there is no --enable parameter with the name '" + str + "'");
     }
+
+    return std::string("");
 }
 
 bool Settings::isEnabled(const std::string &str) const
diff --git a/lib/settings.h b/lib/settings.h
index 32baeb2e4..c0acefc94 100644
--- a/lib/settings.h
+++ b/lib/settings.h
@@ -122,8 +122,9 @@ public:
      * @brief Enable extra checks by id. See isEnabled()
      * @param str single id or list of id values to be enabled
      * or empty string to enable all. e.g. "style,possibleError"
+     * @return error message. empty upon success
      */
-    void addEnabled(const std::string &str);
+    std::string addEnabled(const std::string &str);
 
     /** @brief class for handling suppressions */
     class Suppressions