diff --git a/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/onionmc.py b/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/onionmc.py
index 776da9163..9d743eb31 100644
--- a/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/onionmc.py
+++ b/jmdaemon/jmdaemon/onionmc.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from jmdaemon.message_channel import MessageChannel
 from jmdaemon.protocol import COMMAND_PREFIX, JM_VERSION
-from jmbase import get_log,  JM_APP_NAME, JMHiddenService
+from jmbase import get_log,  JM_APP_NAME, JMHiddenService, stop_reactor
 import json
 import copy
 from typing import Callable, Union, Tuple, List
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ class OnionPeerConnectionError(OnionPeerError):
 class OnionCustomMessageDecodingError(Exception):
     pass
 
+class InvalidLocationStringError(Exception):
+    pass
+
 class OnionCustomMessage(object):
     """ Encapsulates the messages passed over the wire
     to and from other onion peers
@@ -367,9 +370,13 @@ def from_location_string(cls, mc: 'OnionMessageChannel',
         connection information given by the network interface.
         TODO: special handling for inbound is needed.
         """
-        host, port = location.split(":")
+        try:
+            host, port = location.split(":")
+            portint = int(port)
+        except:
+            raise InvalidLocationStringError(location)
         return cls(mc, socks5_host, socks5_port,
-                   (host, int(port)), directory=directory,
+                   (host, portint), directory=directory,
                    handshake_callback=handshake_callback)
 
     def set_location(self, location_string: str) -> bool:
@@ -547,9 +554,14 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.peers = set()
         for dn in configdata["directory_nodes"].split(","):
             # note we don't use a nick for directories:
-            self.peers.add(OnionDirectoryPeer.from_location_string(
-                self, dn, self.socks5_host, self.socks5_port,
-                directory=True, handshake_callback=self.handshake_as_client))
+            try:
+                self.peers.add(OnionDirectoryPeer.from_location_string(
+                    self, dn, self.socks5_host, self.socks5_port,
+                    directory=True, handshake_callback=self.handshake_as_client))
+            except InvalidLocationStringError as e:
+                log.error("Failed to load directory nodes: {}".format(repr(e)))
+                stop_reactor()
+                return
         # we can direct messages via the protocol factory, which
         # will index protocol connections by peer location:
         self.proto_factory = OnionLineProtocolFactory(self)