diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoConfig.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoConfig.cs
index 27fb572300..d0d835f22a 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoConfig.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/UmbracoConfig.cs
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
                 var umbracoSettings = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("umbracoConfiguration/settings") as IUmbracoSettingsSection;
                 if (umbracoSettings == null)
                 {
-                    LogHelper.Warn<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load the " + typeof(IUmbracoSettingsSection) + " from config file!");
+                    var ex = new ConfigurationErrorsException("Could not load the " + typeof (IUmbracoSettingsSection) + " from config file, ensure the web.config and umbracoSettings.config files are formatted correctly");
+                    LogHelper.Error<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load umbracoSettings.config", ex);
+                    throw ex;
+
                 }
                 SetUmbracoSettings(umbracoSettings);
             }
@@ -47,7 +50,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
                 var baseRestExtensions = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("umbracoConfiguration/BaseRestExtensions") as IBaseRestSection;
                 if (baseRestExtensions == null)
                 {
-                    LogHelper.Warn<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load the " + typeof(IBaseRestSection) + " from config file!");
+                    var ex = new ConfigurationErrorsException("Could not load the " + typeof(IBaseRestSection) + " from config file, ensure the web.config and BaseRestExtensions.config files are formatted correctly");
+                    LogHelper.Error<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load BaseRestExtensions.config", ex);
+                    throw ex;
                 }
                 SetBaseRestExtensions(baseRestExtensions);
             }
@@ -57,7 +62,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
                 var dashboardConfig = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("umbracoConfiguration/dashBoard") as IDashboardSection;
                 if (dashboardConfig == null)
                 {
-                    LogHelper.Warn<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load the " + typeof(IDashboardSection) + " from config file!");
+                    var ex = new ConfigurationErrorsException("Could not load the " + typeof(IDashboardSection) + " from config file, ensure the web.config and Dashboard.config files are formatted correctly");
+                    LogHelper.Error<UmbracoConfig>("Could not load Dashboard.config", ex);
+                    throw ex;
                 }
                 SetDashboardSettings(dashboardConfig);
             }