diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index fe264ba09..53f649932 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 2007-06-17  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/plugins/Verify.py: Clarification in wording: #1071.
+	* src/GrampsCfg.py (NameFormatEditDlg.cb_format_changed): Catch
+	exception when format string is invalid.
 
 2007-06-16  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/DbManager.py: add user sorting to manager lists
diff --git a/src/GrampsCfg.py b/src/GrampsCfg.py
index e1ed9a43c..f6664a560 100644
--- a/src/GrampsCfg.py
+++ b/src/GrampsCfg.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2000-2006  Donald N. Allingham
+# Copyright (C) 2000-2007  Donald N. Allingham
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -626,8 +626,10 @@ class NameFormatEditDlg:
         return (self.response, self.fmt_name, self.fmt_str)
 
     def cb_format_changed(self,obj):
-        t = (_nd.format_str(self.name,obj.get_text()))
-        self.examplelabel.set_text('<span weight="bold" style="italic">%s</span>' % t)
+        try:
+            t = (_nd.format_str(self.name,obj.get_text()))
+        except ValueError, msg:
+            t = _("Invalid format string: %s") % msg
+        self.examplelabel.set_text(
+            '<span weight="bold" style="italic">%s</span>' % t)
         self.examplelabel.set_use_markup(True)
-        
-