diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 4606102c3c9..dc87add3c79 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -14403,6 +14403,7 @@ src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/IDocIdList.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/ILocalRepaint.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/IVDoc.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/IVTopLevelUI.java -text
+src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/InvalidLayoutFileException.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/RectangleOfDouble.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SDisplayUtil.java -text
 src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SLayoutConstants.java -text
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/control/FControl.java b/src/main/java/forge/control/FControl.java
index d762cf99092..a4d5c27ff56 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/control/FControl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/control/FControl.java
@@ -42,11 +42,14 @@ import forge.game.Game;
 import forge.game.ai.AiProfileUtil;
 import forge.game.player.LobbyPlayer;
 import forge.game.player.Player;
+import forge.gui.GuiDialog;
 import forge.gui.SOverlayUtils;
 import forge.gui.deckeditor.CDeckEditorUI;
 import forge.gui.deckeditor.VDeckEditorUI;
 import forge.gui.framework.EDocID;
+import forge.gui.framework.InvalidLayoutFileException;
 import forge.gui.framework.SDisplayUtil;
+import forge.gui.framework.SLayoutIO;
 import forge.gui.framework.SOverflowUtil;
 import forge.gui.framework.SResizingUtil;
 import forge.gui.home.CHomeUI;
@@ -406,7 +409,16 @@ public enum FControl {
     
     
         Singletons.getModel().getPreferences().actuateMatchPreferences();
-        Singletons.getControl().changeState(Screens.MATCH_SCREEN);
+        
+        try {
+            Singletons.getControl().changeState(Screens.MATCH_SCREEN);
+        } catch (InvalidLayoutFileException ex) {
+            GuiDialog.message("Your match layout file could not be read. It will be deleted after you press OK.\nThe game will proceed with default layout.");
+            File fLayout = new File(SLayoutIO.getFilePreferred(Screens.MATCH_SCREEN));
+            fLayout.delete();
+            // try again
+            Singletons.getControl().changeState(Screens.MATCH_SCREEN);
+        }
         SDisplayUtil.showTab(EDocID.REPORT_LOG.getDoc());
     
         CMessage.SINGLETON_INSTANCE.getInputControl().setGame(game);
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/InvalidLayoutFileException.java b/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/InvalidLayoutFileException.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e446852138f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/InvalidLayoutFileException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package forge.gui.framework;
+
+/** 
+ * TODO: Write javadoc for this type.
+ *
+ */
+public class InvalidLayoutFileException extends RuntimeException {
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SLayoutIO.java b/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SLayoutIO.java
index e427cf791ae..0f1fa9eff53 100644
--- a/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SLayoutIO.java
+++ b/src/main/java/forge/gui/framework/SLayoutIO.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package forge.gui.framework;
 import java.awt.BorderLayout;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Iterator;
@@ -136,17 +137,35 @@ public final class SLayoutIO {
         
         // Read a model for new layout
         MapOfLists<RectangleOfDouble, EDocID> model = null;
+        
+        boolean usedCustomPrefsFile = false;
+        
+        FileInputStream fis = null;
+
         try {
-            FileInputStream fis = null;
             if (f != null && f.exists()) 
                 fis = new FileInputStream(f);
             else {
                 File userSetting = new File(file.userPrefLoc);
-                fis = userSetting.exists() ? new FileInputStream(userSetting) : new FileInputStream(file.defaultLoc);
+                if ( userSetting.exists() ) {
+                    usedCustomPrefsFile = true;
+                    fis = new FileInputStream(userSetting);
+                } else {
+                    fis = new FileInputStream(file.defaultLoc);
+                }
             }
-    
+        } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
+
+        try {
             model = readLayout(inputFactory.createXMLEventReader(fis));
-        } catch (final Exception e) { e.printStackTrace(); }
+        } catch (final XMLStreamException e) {
+            if ( usedCustomPrefsFile ) // the one we can safely delete
+                throw new InvalidLayoutFileException();
+            else
+                throw new RuntimeException(e);
+        }
         
         // Apply new layout
         DragCell cell = null;
@@ -170,8 +189,8 @@ public final class SLayoutIO {
         SResizingUtil.resizeWindow();
     }
 
-    private static MapOfLists<RectangleOfDouble, EDocID> readLayout(final XMLEventReader reader)
-            throws XMLStreamException {
+    private static MapOfLists<RectangleOfDouble, EDocID> readLayout(final XMLEventReader reader) throws XMLStreamException
+    {
         XMLEvent event;
         StartElement element;
         Iterator<?> attributes;