diff --git a/docs/devguide.rst b/docs/devguide.rst
index d254cbe..ef27a0f 100644
--- a/docs/devguide.rst
+++ b/docs/devguide.rst
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ Class reference documentation
 .. automodule:: kas.includehandler
    :members:
 
+``kas.kasusererror`` Module
+.............................
+
+.. automodule:: kas.kasusererror
+   :members:
+
 ``kas.plugins`` Module
 ......................
 
diff --git a/kas/includehandler.py b/kas/includehandler.py
index 8d1d274..a0920b6 100644
--- a/kas/includehandler.py
+++ b/kas/includehandler.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import logging
 
 from jsonschema.validators import Draft4Validator
 
+from .kasusererror import KasUserError
 from . import __file_version__, __compatible_file_version__
 from . import CONFIGSCHEMA
 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ __license__ = 'MIT'
 __copyright__ = 'Copyright (c) Siemens AG, 2017-2021'
 
 
-class LoadConfigException(Exception):
+class LoadConfigException(KasUserError):
     """
         Class for exceptions that appear while loading a configuration file.
     """
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ def load_config(filename):
     return config
 
 
-class IncludeException(Exception):
+class IncludeException(KasUserError):
     """
         Class for exceptions that appear in the include mechanism.
     """
diff --git a/kas/kas.py b/kas/kas.py
index 4a07e5e..4d7edbf 100644
--- a/kas/kas.py
+++ b/kas/kas.py
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 # SOFTWARE.
 """
     This module is the main entry point for kas, setup tool for bitbake based
-    projects
+    projects. In case of user errors (e.g. invalid configuration, repo fetch
+    failure) KAS exits with error code 2, while exiting with 1 for internal
+    errors. For details on error handling, see :mod:`kas.kasusererror`.
 """
 
 import argparse
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ import logging
 import signal
 import sys
 import os
+from .kasusererror import KasUserError
 
 try:
     import colorlog
@@ -173,6 +176,9 @@ def main():
 
     try:
         kas(sys.argv[1:])
+    except KasUserError as err:
+        logging.error('%s', err)
+        sys.exit(2)
     except Exception as err:
         logging.error('%s', err)
         traceback.print_exc()
diff --git a/kas/kasusererror.py b/kas/kasusererror.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9518d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kas/kasusererror.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# kas - setup tool for bitbake based projects
+#
+# Copyright (c) Siemens AG, 2017-2023
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+# of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+# in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+# to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+# copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+# furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
+# included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+# SOFTWARE.
+
+"""
+    This module provides a common base class for all exceptions
+    which are related to user or configuration errors. These exceptions
+    should be caught and reported to the user using a meaningful message
+    instead of a stacktrace.
+
+    When handling errors in KAS, never return directly using `sys.exit`,
+    but instead throw an exception derived from :class:`KasUserError` (for user
+    errors), or one derived from `Exception` for internal errors. These
+    are then handled centrally, mapped to correct return codes and pretty
+    printed.
+"""
+
+
+__license__ = 'MIT'
+__copyright__ = 'Copyright (c) Siemens AG, 2023'
+
+
+class KasUserError(Exception):
+    """
+    User or input error. Derive all user error exceptions from this class.
+    """
+    pass
diff --git a/kas/repos.py b/kas/repos.py
index 410e290..7b4af5d 100644
--- a/kas/repos.py
+++ b/kas/repos.py
@@ -31,11 +31,26 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
 from .context import get_context
 from .libkas import run_cmd_async, run_cmd
+from .kasusererror import KasUserError
 
 __license__ = 'MIT'
 __copyright__ = 'Copyright (c) Siemens AG, 2017-2018'
 
 
+class UnsupportedRepoTypeError(KasUserError, NotImplementedError):
+    """
+    Exception for unsupported / not implemented repository types
+    """
+    pass
+
+
+class PatchFileNotFound(KasUserError, FileNotFoundError):
+    """
+    The requested patch file was not found
+    """
+    pass
+
+
 class Repo:
     """
         Represents a repository in the kas configuration.
@@ -151,7 +166,7 @@ class Repo:
         if typ == 'hg':
             return MercurialRepo(name, url, path, refspec, layers, patches,
                                  disable_operations)
-        raise NotImplementedError('Repo type "%s" not supported.' % typ)
+        raise UnsupportedRepoTypeError('Repo type "%s" not supported.' % typ)
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_root_path(path, fallback=True):
@@ -324,7 +339,7 @@ class RepoImpl(Repo):
                         if os.path.isfile(p):
                             my_patches.append((p, patch['id']))
                         else:
-                            raise FileNotFoundError(p)
+                            raise PatchFileNotFound(p)
             else:
                 logging.error('Could not find patch. '
                               '(patch path: %s, repo: %s, patch entry: %s)',