diff --git a/kas/plugins/menu.py b/kas/plugins/menu.py
index 9618e6b..03548d2 100644
--- a/kas/plugins/menu.py
+++ b/kas/plugins/menu.py
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ import logging
 import os
 import pprint
 import yaml
-from kconfiglib import Kconfig, Symbol, Choice, expr_value, TYPE_TO_STR, \
-    MENU, COMMENT, STRING, BOOL, INT, HEX, UNKNOWN
+from kconfiglib import Kconfig, Symbol, Choice, KconfigError, \
+    expr_value, TYPE_TO_STR, MENU, COMMENT, STRING, BOOL, INT, HEX, UNKNOWN
 from kas import __version__, __file_version__
 from kas.context import create_global_context
 from kas.config import CONFIG_YAML_FILE
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ class MissingModuleError(KasUserError):
     pass
 
 
+class KConfigLoadError(KasUserError):
+    """
+    The KConfig file could not be found or is invalid
+    """
+    pass
+
+
 def check_sym_is_string(sym):
     if sym.type != STRING:
         raise VariableTypeError('Variable {} must be of string type'
@@ -253,7 +260,10 @@ class Menu:
 
         ctx = create_global_context(args)
 
-        self.kconf = Kconfig(args.kconfig, warn_to_stderr=False)
+        try:
+            self.kconf = Kconfig(args.kconfig, warn_to_stderr=False)
+        except (KconfigError, FileNotFoundError) as err:
+            raise KConfigLoadError(str(err))
 
         config_filename = os.path.join(ctx.kas_work_dir, CONFIG_YAML_FILE)