diff --git a/src/Base/Reader.cpp b/src/Base/Reader.cpp
index 60e15ecafb..dd7ad2d7f6 100644
--- a/src/Base/Reader.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Reader.cpp
@@ -130,39 +130,45 @@ long Base::XMLReader::getAttributeAsInteger(const char* AttrName) const
 {
     AttrMapType::const_iterator pos = AttrMap.find(AttrName);
 
-    if (pos != AttrMap.end())
+    if (pos != AttrMap.end()) {
         return atol(pos->second.c_str());
-    else
+    }
+    else {
         // wrong name, use hasAttribute if not sure!
-        assert(0);
-
-    return 0;
+        std::ostringstream msg;
+        msg << "XML Attribute: \"" << AttrName << "\" not found";
+        throw Base::XMLAttributeError(msg.str());
+    }
 }
 
 unsigned long Base::XMLReader::getAttributeAsUnsigned(const char* AttrName) const
 {
     AttrMapType::const_iterator pos = AttrMap.find(AttrName);
 
-    if (pos != AttrMap.end())
+    if (pos != AttrMap.end()) {
         return strtoul(pos->second.c_str(),0,10);
-    else
+    }
+    else {
         // wrong name, use hasAttribute if not sure!
-        assert(0);
-
-    return 0;
+        std::ostringstream msg;
+        msg << "XML Attribute: \"" << AttrName << "\" not found";
+        throw Base::XMLAttributeError(msg.str());
+    }
 }
 
 double Base::XMLReader::getAttributeAsFloat  (const char* AttrName) const
 {
     AttrMapType::const_iterator pos = AttrMap.find(AttrName);
 
-    if (pos != AttrMap.end())
+    if (pos != AttrMap.end()) {
         return atof(pos->second.c_str());
-    else
+    }
+    else {
         // wrong name, use hasAttribute if not sure!
-        assert(0);
-
-    return 0.0;
+        std::ostringstream msg;
+        msg << "XML Attribute: \"" << AttrName << "\" not found";
+        throw Base::XMLAttributeError(msg.str());
+    }
 }
 
 const char*  Base::XMLReader::getAttribute (const char* AttrName) const