diff --git a/ethosu/vela/tflite_reader.py b/ethosu/vela/tflite_reader.py
index daea1bf..b47177f 100644
--- a/ethosu/vela/tflite_reader.py
+++ b/ethosu/vela/tflite_reader.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 # Description:
 # Functions used to read from a TensorFlow Lite format file.
 import os.path
+import struct
+import sys
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -235,34 +237,49 @@
         with open(filename, "rb") as f:
             buf = bytearray(f.read())
 
-        model = Model.GetRootAsModel(buf, 0)
+        try:
+            parsing_step = "parsing root"
+            model = Model.GetRootAsModel(buf, 0)
 
-        self.buffers = []
-        for idx in range(model.BuffersLength()):
-            self.buffers.append(self.parse_buffer(model.Buffers(idx)))
+            parsing_step = "parsing buffers length"
+            self.buffers = []
+            for idx in range(model.BuffersLength()):
+                parsing_step = f"parsing buffer {idx}"
+                self.buffers.append(self.parse_buffer(model.Buffers(idx)))
 
-        self.operator_codes = []
-        for idx in range(model.OperatorCodesLength()):
-            self.operator_codes.append(self.parse_operator_code(model.OperatorCodes(idx)))
+            parsing_step = "parsing operator codes length"
+            self.operator_codes = []
+            for idx in range(model.OperatorCodesLength()):
+                parsing_step = f"parsing operator code {idx}"
+                self.operator_codes.append(self.parse_operator_code(model.OperatorCodes(idx)))
 
-        self.subgraphs = []
-        for idx in range(model.SubgraphsLength()):
-            self.subgraphs.append(TFLiteSubgraph(self, model.Subgraphs(idx)))
+            parsing_step = "parsing subgraphs length"
+            self.subgraphs = []
+            for idx in range(model.SubgraphsLength()):
+                parsing_step = f"parsing subgraph {idx}"
+                self.subgraphs.append(TFLiteSubgraph(self, model.Subgraphs(idx)))
 
-        self.nng = Graph(self.name, self.batch_size)
-        for tflite_sg in self.subgraphs:
-            sg = Subgraph(tflite_sg.name)
-            sg.original_inputs = tflite_sg.inputs  # Preserve the original input order
-            sg.output_tensors = tflite_sg.outputs
-            self.nng.subgraphs.append(sg)
+            self.nng = Graph(self.name, self.batch_size)
+            for tflite_sg in self.subgraphs:
+                sg = Subgraph(tflite_sg.name)
+                sg.original_inputs = tflite_sg.inputs  # Preserve the original input order
+                sg.output_tensors = tflite_sg.outputs
+                self.nng.subgraphs.append(sg)
 
-        # Preserve the original metadata
-        for idx in range(model.MetadataLength()):
-            meta = model.Metadata(idx)
-            name = meta.Name()
-            if name is not None:
-                buf_data = self.buffers[meta.Buffer()]
-                self.nng.metadata.append((name, buf_data))
+            parsing_step = "parsing metadata length"
+            # Preserve the original metadata
+            for idx in range(model.MetadataLength()):
+                parsing_step = f"parsing metadata {idx}"
+                meta = model.Metadata(idx)
+                parsing_step = f"parsing metadata name of metadata {idx}"
+                name = meta.Name()
+                if name is not None:
+                    parsing_step = f"parsing metadata {idx} ({name})"
+                    buf_data = self.buffers[meta.Buffer()]
+                    self.nng.metadata.append((name, buf_data))
+        except (struct.error, TypeError, RuntimeError) as e:
+            print(f'Error: Invalid tflite file. Got "{e}" while {parsing_step}.')
+            sys.exit(1)
 
     def parse_buffer(self, buf_data):
         if buf_data.DataLength() == 0:
diff --git a/ethosu/vela/vela.py b/ethosu/vela/vela.py
index 64a3381..c955186 100644
--- a/ethosu/vela/vela.py
+++ b/ethosu/vela/vela.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 from .api import API_VERSION
 from .debug_database import DebugDatabase
 from .errors import InputFileError
+from .errors import VelaError
 from .nn_graph import PassPlacement
 from .nn_graph import TensorAllocator
 from .scheduler import ParetoMetric
@@ -221,254 +222,267 @@
 
 
 def main(args=None):
-    if args is None:
-        args = sys.argv[1:]
+    try:
+        if args is None:
+            args = sys.argv[1:]
 
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog="vela", description="Neural network model compiler for Arm Ethos-U NPUs")
-    parser.add_argument("--version", action="version", version=__version__)
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--api-version", action="version", version=API_VERSION, help="Displays the version of the external API."
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--supported-ops-report",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Generate the SUPPORTED_OPS.md file in the current working directory and exit",
-    )
-
-    # set network nargs to be optional to allow the support-ops-report CLI option to be used standalone
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "network",
-        metavar="NETWORK",
-        type=str,
-        default=None,
-        nargs="?",
-        help="Filename of the input TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers network",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--output-dir", type=str, default="output", help="Output directory to write files to (default: %(default)s)"
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--enable-debug-db",
-        action="store_true",
-        default=None,
-        help="Enables the calculation and writing of a network debug database to output directory",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--config", type=str, action="append", help="Vela configuration file(s) in Python ConfigParser .ini file format"
-    )
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-all", action="store_true", help="Enable all verbose options")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-config", action="store_true", help="Verbose system configuration and memory mode")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-graph", action="store_true", help="Verbose graph rewriter")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-quantization", action="store_true", help="Verbose quantization")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-packing", action="store_true", help="Verbose pass packing")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-tensor-purpose", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor purpose")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-tensor-format", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor format")
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-schedule", action="store_true", help="Verbose schedule")
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--verbose-pareto-frontier-schedules",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Show all schedules along the pareto frontier of optimisation criteria",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-allocation", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor allocation")
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--verbose-high-level-command-stream", action="store_true", help="Verbose high level command stream"
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--verbose-register-command-stream", action="store_true", help="Verbose register command stream"
-    )
-    parser.add_argument("--verbose-operators", action="store_true", help="Verbose operator list")
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--show-cpu-operations", action="store_true", help="Show the operations that fall back to the CPU"
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--cache-bias-scale-tensor",
-        type=ast.literal_eval,
-        default=True,
-        choices=[True, False],
-        help="Controls the caching of the bias & scale tensors in SRAM (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--cascading",
-        type=ast.literal_eval,
-        default=True,
-        choices=[True, False],
-        help="Controls the packing of multiple passes into a cascade (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument("--force-block-config", type=str, default="", help="Force a specific block configuration WxHxC")
-    parser.add_argument("--timing", action="store_true", help="Time the compiler doing operations")
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--accelerator-config",
-        type=str,
-        default="ethos-u55-256",
-        choices=list(architecture_features.Accelerator.member_list()),
-        help="Accelerator configuration to use (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--system-config",
-        type=str,
-        default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG,
-        help="System configuration to select from the Vela configuration file (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--memory-mode",
-        type=str,
-        default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG,
-        help="Memory mode to select from the Vela configuration file (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--tensor-allocator",
-        default=TensorAllocator.HillClimb,
-        type=lambda s: TensorAllocator[s],
-        choices=list(TensorAllocator),
-        help="Tensor Allocator algorithm (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--show-subgraph-io-summary",
-        action="store_true",
-        help="Shows a summary of all the subgraphs and their inputs and outputs",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--ifm-streaming",
-        type=ast.literal_eval,
-        default=True,
-        choices=[True, False],
-        help="Controls scheduler IFM streaming search (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--block-config-limit",
-        type=int,
-        default=16,
-        help="Limit block config search space, use zero for unlimited (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--pareto-metric",
-        default=ParetoMetric.BwCycMem,
-        type=lambda s: ParetoMetric[s],
-        choices=list(ParetoMetric),
-        help="Controls the calculation of the pareto metric (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--recursion-limit",
-        type=int,
-        default=10000,
-        help="Set the recursion depth limit, may result in RecursionError if too low (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--max-block-dependency",
-        type=int,
-        default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.MAX_BLOCKDEP,
-        choices=range(0, architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.MAX_BLOCKDEP + 1),
-        help=(
-            "Set the maximum value that can be used for the block dependency between npu kernel operations"
-            " (default: %(default)s)"
-        ),
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--nhcwb16-between-cascaded-passes",
-        type=ast.literal_eval,
-        default=True,
-        choices=[True, False],
-        help="Control if NHCWB16 or NHWC should be used in between cascaded passes (default: %(default)s)",
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--weight-estimation-scaling",
-        type=float,
-        default=1.0,
-        help=("Performs an additional scaling of weight compression scale estimate (default: %(default)s)"),
-    )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--cpu-tensor-alignment",
-        type=int,
-        default=Tensor.AllocationQuantum,
-        help=(
-            "Controls the allocation byte alignment of cpu tensors including Ethos-U Custom operator inputs and outputs"
-            " (default: %(default)s)"
-        ),
-    )
-    args = parser.parse_args(args=args)
-
-    # Generate the supported ops report and exit
-    if args.supported_ops_report:
-        generate_supported_ops()
-        return 0
-
-    if args.network is None:
-        parser.error("the following argument is required: NETWORK")
-
-    # check all config files exist because they will be read as a group
-    if args.config is not None:
-        for filename in args.config:
-            if not os.access(filename, os.R_OK):
-                raise InputFileError(filename, "File not found or is not readable")
-
-    sys.setrecursionlimit(args.recursion_limit)
-
-    if args.force_block_config:
-        force_block_config = architecture_features.Block.from_string(args.force_block_config)
-    else:
-        force_block_config = None
-
-    if args.cpu_tensor_alignment < 16 or args.cpu_tensor_alignment & (args.cpu_tensor_alignment - 1) != 0:
-        parser.error(
-            "Invalid argument to --cpu-tensor-alignment = {} (must be greater than or equal to 16 and a power of 2)"
-            "".format(args.cpu_tensor_alignment)
+        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog="vela", description="Neural network model compiler for Arm Ethos-U NPUs")
+        parser.add_argument("--version", action="version", version=__version__)
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--api-version", action="version", version=API_VERSION, help="Displays the version of the external API."
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--supported-ops-report",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Generate the SUPPORTED_OPS.md file in the current working directory and exit",
         )
 
-    if args.system_config == ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG:
-        print(f"Warning: Using {ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG} values for system configuration")
+        # set network nargs to be optional to allow the support-ops-report CLI option to be used standalone
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "network",
+            metavar="NETWORK",
+            type=str,
+            default=None,
+            nargs="?",
+            help="Filename of the input TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers network",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--output-dir", type=str, default="output", help="Output directory to write files to (default: %(default)s)"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--enable-debug-db",
+            action="store_true",
+            default=None,
+            help="Enables the calculation and writing of a network debug database to output directory",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--config",
+            type=str,
+            action="append",
+            help="Vela configuration file(s) in Python ConfigParser .ini file format",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-all", action="store_true", help="Enable all verbose options")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--verbose-config", action="store_true", help="Verbose system configuration and memory mode"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-graph", action="store_true", help="Verbose graph rewriter")
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-quantization", action="store_true", help="Verbose quantization")
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-packing", action="store_true", help="Verbose pass packing")
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-tensor-purpose", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor purpose")
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-tensor-format", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor format")
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-schedule", action="store_true", help="Verbose schedule")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--verbose-pareto-frontier-schedules",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Show all schedules along the pareto frontier of optimisation criteria",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-allocation", action="store_true", help="Verbose tensor allocation")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--verbose-high-level-command-stream", action="store_true", help="Verbose high level command stream"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--verbose-register-command-stream", action="store_true", help="Verbose register command stream"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument("--verbose-operators", action="store_true", help="Verbose operator list")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--show-cpu-operations", action="store_true", help="Show the operations that fall back to the CPU"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--cache-bias-scale-tensor",
+            type=ast.literal_eval,
+            default=True,
+            choices=[True, False],
+            help="Controls the caching of the bias & scale tensors in SRAM (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--cascading",
+            type=ast.literal_eval,
+            default=True,
+            choices=[True, False],
+            help="Controls the packing of multiple passes into a cascade (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--force-block-config", type=str, default="", help="Force a specific block configuration WxHxC"
+        )
+        parser.add_argument("--timing", action="store_true", help="Time the compiler doing operations")
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--accelerator-config",
+            type=str,
+            default="ethos-u55-256",
+            choices=list(architecture_features.Accelerator.member_list()),
+            help="Accelerator configuration to use (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--system-config",
+            type=str,
+            default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG,
+            help="System configuration to select from the Vela configuration file (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--memory-mode",
+            type=str,
+            default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG,
+            help="Memory mode to select from the Vela configuration file (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--tensor-allocator",
+            default=TensorAllocator.HillClimb,
+            type=lambda s: TensorAllocator[s],
+            choices=list(TensorAllocator),
+            help="Tensor Allocator algorithm (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--show-subgraph-io-summary",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Shows a summary of all the subgraphs and their inputs and outputs",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--ifm-streaming",
+            type=ast.literal_eval,
+            default=True,
+            choices=[True, False],
+            help="Controls scheduler IFM streaming search (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--block-config-limit",
+            type=int,
+            default=16,
+            help="Limit block config search space, use zero for unlimited (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--pareto-metric",
+            default=ParetoMetric.BwCycMem,
+            type=lambda s: ParetoMetric[s],
+            choices=list(ParetoMetric),
+            help="Controls the calculation of the pareto metric (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--recursion-limit",
+            type=int,
+            default=10000,
+            help="Set the recursion depth limit, may result in RecursionError if too low (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--max-block-dependency",
+            type=int,
+            default=architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.MAX_BLOCKDEP,
+            choices=range(0, architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures.MAX_BLOCKDEP + 1),
+            help=(
+                "Set the maximum value that can be used for the block dependency between npu kernel operations"
+                " (default: %(default)s)"
+            ),
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--nhcwb16-between-cascaded-passes",
+            type=ast.literal_eval,
+            default=True,
+            choices=[True, False],
+            help="Control if NHCWB16 or NHWC should be used in between cascaded passes (default: %(default)s)",
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--weight-estimation-scaling",
+            type=float,
+            default=1.0,
+            help=("Performs an additional scaling of weight compression scale estimate (default: %(default)s)"),
+        )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--cpu-tensor-alignment",
+            type=int,
+            default=Tensor.AllocationQuantum,
+            help=(
+                "Controls the allocation byte alignment of cpu tensors including Ethos-U Custom"
+                " operator inputs and outputs (default: %(default)s)"
+            ),
+        )
+        args = parser.parse_args(args=args)
 
-    if args.memory_mode == ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG:
-        print(f"Warning: Using {ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG} values for memory mode")
+        # Generate the supported ops report and exit
+        if args.supported_ops_report:
+            generate_supported_ops()
+            return 0
 
-    if args.verbose_all:
-        for v in vars(args):
-            if v.startswith("verbose") and v != "verbose_all":
-                setattr(args, v, True)
+        if args.network is None:
+            parser.error("the following argument is required: NETWORK")
 
-    arch = architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures(
-        vela_config_files=args.config,
-        system_config=args.system_config,
-        memory_mode=args.memory_mode,
-        accelerator_config=args.accelerator_config,
-        override_block_config=force_block_config,
-        block_config_limit=args.block_config_limit,
-        max_blockdep=args.max_block_dependency,
-        weight_estimation_scaling=args.weight_estimation_scaling,
-        verbose_config=args.verbose_config,
-    )
+        # check all config files exist because they will be read as a group
+        if args.config is not None:
+            for filename in args.config:
+                if not os.access(filename, os.R_OK):
+                    raise InputFileError(filename, "File not found or is not readable")
 
-    compiler_options = compiler_driver.CompilerOptions(
-        verbose_graph=args.verbose_graph,
-        verbose_quantization=args.verbose_quantization,
-        verbose_packing=args.verbose_packing,
-        verbose_tensor_purpose=args.verbose_tensor_purpose,
-        verbose_tensor_format=args.verbose_tensor_format,
-        verbose_allocation=args.verbose_allocation,
-        verbose_high_level_command_stream=args.verbose_high_level_command_stream,
-        verbose_register_command_stream=args.verbose_register_command_stream,
-        verbose_operators=args.verbose_operators,
-        show_cpu_operations=args.show_cpu_operations,
-        tensor_allocator=args.tensor_allocator,
-        timing=args.timing,
-        output_dir=args.output_dir,
-        cpu_tensor_alignment=args.cpu_tensor_alignment,
-    )
+        sys.setrecursionlimit(args.recursion_limit)
 
-    scheduler_options = scheduler.SchedulerOptions(
-        use_cascading=args.cascading,
-        verbose_schedule=args.verbose_schedule,
-        verbose_pareto_frontier_schedules=args.verbose_pareto_frontier_schedules,
-        use_ifm_streaming=args.ifm_streaming,
-        pareto_metric=args.pareto_metric,
-        use_nhcwb16_between_cascaded_passes=args.nhcwb16_between_cascaded_passes,
-        cache_bias_scale_tensor=args.cache_bias_scale_tensor,
-    )
+        if args.force_block_config:
+            force_block_config = architecture_features.Block.from_string(args.force_block_config)
+        else:
+            force_block_config = None
 
-    model_reader_options = model_reader.ModelReaderOptions()
+        if args.cpu_tensor_alignment < 16 or args.cpu_tensor_alignment & (args.cpu_tensor_alignment - 1) != 0:
+            parser.error(
+                "Invalid argument to --cpu-tensor-alignment = {} (must be greater than or equal to 16 and a power of 2)"
+                "".format(args.cpu_tensor_alignment)
+            )
 
-    nng = process(args.network, args.enable_debug_db, arch, model_reader_options, compiler_options, scheduler_options)
+        if args.system_config == ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG:
+            print(f"Warning: Using {ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG} values for system configuration")
 
-    if args.show_subgraph_io_summary:
-        print_subgraph_io_summary(nng)
+        if args.memory_mode == ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG:
+            print(f"Warning: Using {ArchitectureFeatures.DEFAULT_CONFIG} values for memory mode")
 
-    return 0
+        if args.verbose_all:
+            for v in vars(args):
+                if v.startswith("verbose") and v != "verbose_all":
+                    setattr(args, v, True)
+
+        arch = architecture_features.ArchitectureFeatures(
+            vela_config_files=args.config,
+            system_config=args.system_config,
+            memory_mode=args.memory_mode,
+            accelerator_config=args.accelerator_config,
+            override_block_config=force_block_config,
+            block_config_limit=args.block_config_limit,
+            max_blockdep=args.max_block_dependency,
+            weight_estimation_scaling=args.weight_estimation_scaling,
+            verbose_config=args.verbose_config,
+        )
+
+        compiler_options = compiler_driver.CompilerOptions(
+            verbose_graph=args.verbose_graph,
+            verbose_quantization=args.verbose_quantization,
+            verbose_packing=args.verbose_packing,
+            verbose_tensor_purpose=args.verbose_tensor_purpose,
+            verbose_tensor_format=args.verbose_tensor_format,
+            verbose_allocation=args.verbose_allocation,
+            verbose_high_level_command_stream=args.verbose_high_level_command_stream,
+            verbose_register_command_stream=args.verbose_register_command_stream,
+            verbose_operators=args.verbose_operators,
+            show_cpu_operations=args.show_cpu_operations,
+            tensor_allocator=args.tensor_allocator,
+            timing=args.timing,
+            output_dir=args.output_dir,
+            cpu_tensor_alignment=args.cpu_tensor_alignment,
+        )
+
+        scheduler_options = scheduler.SchedulerOptions(
+            use_cascading=args.cascading,
+            verbose_schedule=args.verbose_schedule,
+            verbose_pareto_frontier_schedules=args.verbose_pareto_frontier_schedules,
+            use_ifm_streaming=args.ifm_streaming,
+            pareto_metric=args.pareto_metric,
+            use_nhcwb16_between_cascaded_passes=args.nhcwb16_between_cascaded_passes,
+            cache_bias_scale_tensor=args.cache_bias_scale_tensor,
+        )
+
+        model_reader_options = model_reader.ModelReaderOptions()
+
+        nng = process(
+            args.network, args.enable_debug_db, arch, model_reader_options, compiler_options, scheduler_options
+        )
+
+        if args.show_subgraph_io_summary:
+            print_subgraph_io_summary(nng)
+
+        return 0
+    except VelaError as e:
+        print(e.data)
+        return 1