diff --git a/src/script.cpp b/src/script.cpp
index 16d8030d..5a6c9802 100644
--- a/src/script.cpp
+++ b/src/script.cpp
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ void script_error(lua_State *L, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list argp;
 	va_start(argp, fmt);
-	vfprintf(stderr, fmt, argp);
+	char buf[10000];
+	vsnprintf(buf, 10000, fmt, argp);
 	va_end(argp);
-	lua_close(L);
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	//errorstream<<"SCRIPT ERROR: "<<buf;
+	throw LuaError(buf);
 }
 
 bool script_load(lua_State *L, const char *path)
diff --git a/src/script.h b/src/script.h
index ce697bc5..6da95acf 100644
--- a/src/script.h
+++ b/src/script.h
@@ -20,8 +20,27 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #ifndef SCRIPT_HEADER
 #define SCRIPT_HEADER
 
+#include <exception>
+#include <string>
+
+class LuaError : public std::exception
+{
+public:
+	LuaError(const std::string &s)
+	{
+		m_s = "LuaError: ";
+		m_s += s;
+	}
+	virtual ~LuaError() throw()
+	{}
+	virtual const char * what() const throw()
+	{
+		return m_s.c_str();
+	}
+	std::string m_s;
+};
+
 typedef struct lua_State lua_State;
-//#include <string>
 
 lua_State* script_init();
 void script_deinit(lua_State *L);
diff --git a/src/scriptapi.cpp b/src/scriptapi.cpp
index cb26fa47..db6b7e86 100644
--- a/src/scriptapi.cpp
+++ b/src/scriptapi.cpp
@@ -1101,7 +1101,10 @@ static int l_register_craft(lua_State *L)
 				width = colcount;
 			} else {
 				if(colcount != width){
-					script_error(L, "error: %s\n", "Invalid crafting recipe");
+					std::string error;
+					error += "Invalid crafting recipe (output=\""
+							+ output + "\")";
+					throw LuaError(error);
 				}
 			}
 			// removes value, keeps key for next iteration
@@ -2469,6 +2472,21 @@ void scriptapi_export(lua_State *L, Server *server)
 	ObjectRef::Register(L);
 }
 
+bool scriptapi_loadmod(lua_State *L, const std::string &scriptpath,
+		const std::string &modname)
+{
+	bool success = false;
+
+	try{
+		success = script_load(L, scriptpath.c_str());
+	}
+	catch(LuaError &e){
+		errorstream<<"Error loading mod: "<<e.what()<<std::endl;
+	}
+
+	return success;
+}
+
 void scriptapi_add_environment(lua_State *L, ServerEnvironment *env)
 {
 	realitycheck(L);
diff --git a/src/scriptapi.h b/src/scriptapi.h
index 33b79541..d107b15c 100644
--- a/src/scriptapi.h
+++ b/src/scriptapi.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ struct PointedThing;
 class ServerRemotePlayer;
 
 void scriptapi_export(lua_State *L, Server *server);
+bool scriptapi_loadmod(lua_State *L, const std::string &scriptpath,
+		const std::string &modname);
 void scriptapi_add_environment(lua_State *L, ServerEnvironment *env);
 
 void scriptapi_add_object_reference(lua_State *L, ServerActiveObject *cobj);
diff --git a/src/server.cpp b/src/server.cpp
index b8bdd883..e345d881 100644
--- a/src/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server.cpp
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ Server::Server(
 	if(!success){
 		errorstream<<"Server: Failed to load and run "
 				<<builtinpath<<std::endl;
-		assert(0);
+		exit(1);
 	}
 	// Load and run "mod" scripts
 	core::list<ModSpec> mods = getMods(m_modspaths);
@@ -991,11 +991,11 @@ Server::Server(
 		ModSpec mod = *i;
 		infostream<<"Server: Loading mod \""<<mod.name<<"\""<<std::endl;
 		std::string scriptpath = mod.path + DIR_DELIM + "init.lua";
-		bool success = script_load(m_lua, scriptpath.c_str());
+		bool success = scriptapi_loadmod(m_lua, scriptpath, mod.name);
 		if(!success){
 			errorstream<<"Server: Failed to load and run "
 					<<scriptpath<<std::endl;
-			assert(0);
+			exit(1);
 		}
 	}