diff --git a/pynemo/nemo_bdy_gen_c.py b/pynemo/nemo_bdy_gen_c.py
index 4f1a2958f1cc8224c703b55cc39a2594f3601286..01b2d390bdbd49f17a5c0e6663c928fe11ce6032 100644
--- a/pynemo/nemo_bdy_gen_c.py
+++ b/pynemo/nemo_bdy_gen_c.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Ported from Matlab code by James Harle
 #External Imports
 import numpy as np
 import logging
+import sys
 
 #Local Imports
 from .utils.nemo_bdy_lib import sub2ind
@@ -74,7 +75,10 @@ class Boundary:
                     bdy_msk[grid_ind] = fval
 
         # Create padded array for overlays
-        msk = np.pad(bdy_msk,((1,1),(1,1)), 'constant', constant_values=(-1))
+        try:
+            msk = np.pad(bdy_msk,((1,1),(1,1)), 'constant', constant_values=(-1))
+        except ValueError:
+            raise Exception('the ValueError above is commonly due to PyNEMO not finding the bathymetry/mask file')
         # create index arrays of I and J coords
         igrid, jgrid = np.meshgrid(np.arange(bdy_msk.shape[1]), np.arange(bdy_msk.shape[0]))
 
diff --git a/pynemo/pynemo_exe.py b/pynemo/pynemo_exe.py
index 706985361234ac78dfef414fad98c3e9f8133db0..b3a95ee957d3aa9fce24747b7fc177d1e38ad530 100644
--- a/pynemo/pynemo_exe.py
+++ b/pynemo/pynemo_exe.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def main():
         elif opt in ("-d", "--download_cmems"):
             setup_file = arg
             t0 = time.time()
-            with yaspin(Spinners.earth, text='PyNEMO is running'):
+            with yaspin(Spinners.earth, text='Download CMEMS function is running'):
                 profile.download_cmems(setup_file)
             t1 = time.time()
             print("CMEMS download time: %s" % (t1 - t0))