diff --git a/src/main/scala/epic/models/package.scala b/src/main/scala/epic/models/package.scala
index 7710ba90..ab8716a6 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/epic/models/package.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/epic/models/package.scala
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ package object models {
               try {
                 readFromJar("", f)
               } catch {
-                case ex: IOException =>
-                  throw new RuntimeException(s"Could not find model $model in path $path")
+                case ex: Exception =>
+                  throw new RuntimeException(s"Could not find model $model in path $path", ex)
               }
 
           }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/epic/util/ProcessTextMain.scala b/src/main/scala/epic/util/ProcessTextMain.scala
index fad2c8e2..e510d36a 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/epic/util/ProcessTextMain.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/epic/util/ProcessTextMain.scala
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ trait ProcessTextMain[Model, AnnotatedType] {
       epic.models.deserialize[Model](params.model.toString)
     } catch {
       case ex: Exception =>
+        // BT 20150514 - skanky hack to get message to screen, would be nicer if could say "enable debug messages for full trace"
+        System.err.println(s"Couldn't deserialize model due to exception, ${ex.getCause.getMessage}. Trying classPathLoad...")
         classPathLoad(params.model.toString)
     }