diff --git a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException.java b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cbc5f6e16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package cpw.mods.fml.client;
+
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.IFMLHandledException;
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.Side;
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.asm.SideOnly;
+import net.minecraft.src.FontRenderer;
+import net.minecraft.src.GuiErrorScreen;
+
+/**
+ * If a mod throws this exception during loading, it will be called back to render
+ * the error screen through the methods below. This error will not be cleared, and will
+ * not allow the game to carry on, but might be useful if your mod wishes to report
+ * a fatal configuration error in a pretty way.
+ *
+ * Throw this through a proxy. It won't work on the dedicated server environment.
+ * @author cpw
+ *
+ */
+@SideOnly(Side.CLIENT)
+public abstract class CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException extends RuntimeException implements IFMLHandledException
+{
+    /**
+     * Called after the GUI is inited by the parent code. You can do extra stuff here, maybe?
+     *
+     * @param errorScreen The error screen we're painting
+     * @param fontRenderer A font renderer for you
+     */
+    public abstract void initGui(GuiErrorScreen errorScreen, FontRenderer fontRenderer);
+
+    /**
+     * Draw your error to the screen.
+     *
+     * <br/><em>Warning: Minecraft is in a deep error state.</em> <strong>All</strong> it can do is stop.
+     * Do not try and do anything involving complex user interaction here.
+     *
+     * @param errorScreen The error screen to draw to
+     * @param fontRenderer A font renderer for you
+     * @param mouseRelX Mouse X
+     * @param mouseRelY Mouse Y
+     * @param tickTime tick time
+     */
+    public abstract void drawScreen(GuiErrorScreen errorScreen, FontRenderer fontRenderer, int mouseRelX, int mouseRelY, float tickTime);
+}
diff --git a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/FMLClientHandler.java b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/FMLClientHandler.java
index 678c7b979..6e67d31c0 100644
--- a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/FMLClientHandler.java
+++ b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/FMLClientHandler.java
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ public class FMLClientHandler implements IFMLSidedHandler
 
     private WrongMinecraftVersionException wrongMC;
 
+    private CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException customError;
+
     /**
      * Called to start the whole game off from
      * {@link MinecraftServer#startServer}
@@ -153,6 +155,11 @@ public class FMLClientHandler implements IFMLSidedHandler
         {
             modsMissing = missing;
         }
+        catch (CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException custom)
+        {
+            FMLLog.log(Level.SEVERE, custom, "A custom exception was thrown by a mod, the game will now halt");
+            customError = custom;
+        }
         catch (LoaderException le)
         {
             haltGame("There was a severe problem during mod loading that has caused the game to fail", le);
@@ -182,6 +189,12 @@ public class FMLClientHandler implements IFMLSidedHandler
         {
             Loader.instance().initializeMods();
         }
+        catch (CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException custom)
+        {
+            FMLLog.log(Level.SEVERE, custom, "A custom exception was thrown by a mod, the game will now halt");
+            customError = custom;
+            return;
+        }
         catch (LoaderException le)
         {
             haltGame("There was a severe problem during mod loading that has caused the game to fail", le);
@@ -204,6 +217,10 @@ public class FMLClientHandler implements IFMLSidedHandler
         {
             client.func_71373_a(new GuiModsMissing(modsMissing));
         }
+        else if (customError != null)
+        {
+            client.func_71373_a(new GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen(customError));
+        }
         else
         {
             TextureFXManager.instance().loadTextures(client.field_71418_C.func_77292_e());
diff --git a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen.java b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f6e60b8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package cpw.mods.fml.client;
+
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.Loader;
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.WrongMinecraftVersionException;
+import net.minecraft.src.GuiErrorScreen;
+
+public class GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen extends GuiErrorScreen
+{
+    private CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException customException;
+    public GuiCustomModLoadingErrorScreen(CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException customException)
+    {
+        this.customException = customException;
+    }
+    @Override
+    public void func_73866_w_()
+    {
+        super.func_73866_w_();
+        this.customException.initGui(this, field_73886_k);
+    }
+    @Override
+    public void func_73863_a(int p_73863_1_, int p_73863_2_, float p_73863_3_)
+    {
+        this.func_73873_v_();
+        this.customException.drawScreen(this, field_73886_k, p_73863_1_, p_73863_2_, p_73863_3_);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissing.java b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissing.java
index 5398cf282..0383a25d0 100644
--- a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissing.java
+++ b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissing.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public class GuiModsMissing extends GuiErrorScreen
     public void func_73863_a(int p_73863_1_, int p_73863_2_, float p_73863_3_)
     {
         this.func_73873_v_();
-        int offset = 85 - modsMissing.missingMods.size() * 10;
+        int offset = Math.max(85 - modsMissing.missingMods.size() * 10, 10);
         this.func_73732_a(this.field_73886_k, "Forge Mod Loader has found a problem with your minecraft installation", this.field_73880_f / 2, offset, 0xFFFFFF);
         offset+=10;
         this.func_73732_a(this.field_73886_k, "The mods and versions listed below could not be found", this.field_73880_f / 2, offset, 0xFFFFFF);
diff --git a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissingForServer.java b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissingForServer.java
index 67f739870..14e297e15 100644
--- a/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissingForServer.java
+++ b/fml/client/cpw/mods/fml/client/GuiModsMissingForServer.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class GuiModsMissingForServer extends GuiScreen
     public void func_73863_a(int p_73863_1_, int p_73863_2_, float p_73863_3_)
     {
         this.func_73873_v_();
-        int offset = 85 - modsMissing.getModList().size() * 10;
+        int offset = Math.max(85 - modsMissing.getModList().size() * 10, 10);
         this.func_73732_a(this.field_73886_k, "Forge Mod Loader could not connect to this server", this.field_73880_f / 2, offset, 0xFFFFFF);
         offset += 10;
         this.func_73732_a(this.field_73886_k, "The mods and versions listed below could not be found", this.field_73880_f / 2, offset, 0xFFFFFF);
diff --git a/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/IFMLHandledException.java b/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/IFMLHandledException.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9f52bf3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/IFMLHandledException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package cpw.mods.fml.common;
+
+public interface IFMLHandledException
+{
+
+}
diff --git a/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/LoadController.java b/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/LoadController.java
index ca4850929..c4dbb5132 100644
--- a/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/LoadController.java
+++ b/fml/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/LoadController.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package cpw.mods.fml.common;
 
+import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ public class LoadController
         state = state.transition(!errors.isEmpty());
         if (state != desiredState)
         {
+            Throwable toThrow = null;
             FMLLog.severe("Fatal errors were detected during the transition from %s to %s. Loading cannot continue", oldState, desiredState);
             StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
             printModStates(sb);
@@ -96,10 +98,23 @@ public class LoadController
             for (Entry<String, Throwable> error : errors.entries())
             {
                 FMLLog.log(Level.SEVERE, error.getValue(), "Caught exception from %s", error.getKey());
+                if (error.getValue() instanceof IFMLHandledException)
+                {
+                    toThrow = error.getValue();
+                }
+                else if (toThrow == null)
+                {
+                    toThrow = error.getValue();
+                }
+            }
+            if (toThrow != null && toThrow instanceof RuntimeException)
+            {
+                throw (RuntimeException)toThrow;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                throw new LoaderException(toThrow);
             }
-
-            // Throw embedding the first error (usually the only one)
-            throw new LoaderException(errors.values().iterator().next());
         }
     }
 
@@ -158,7 +173,14 @@ public class LoadController
 
     public void errorOccurred(ModContainer modContainer, Throwable exception)
     {
-        errors.put(modContainer.getModId(), exception);
+        if (exception instanceof InvocationTargetException)
+        {
+            errors.put(modContainer.getModId(), ((InvocationTargetException)exception).getCause());
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            errors.put(modContainer.getModId(), exception);
+        }
     }
 
     public void printModStates(StringBuilder ret)
diff --git a/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockMod.java b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockMod.java
index 3980506a1..3ebffec58 100644
--- a/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockMod.java
+++ b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockMod.java
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 package cpw.mods.mockmod;
 
+import net.minecraft.src.GuiErrorScreen;
 import net.minecraft.src.ItemBlock;
 import net.minecraft.src.NetHandler;
 import net.minecraft.src.NetworkManager;
 import net.minecraft.src.Packet131MapData;
 import net.minecraft.src.Packet250CustomPayload;
+import net.minecraft.src.FontRenderer;
+import cpw.mods.fml.client.CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod.Block;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod.Init;
@@ -12,6 +15,7 @@ import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod.Instance;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod.Metadata;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Mod.PreInit;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.Side;
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.SidedProxy;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.asm.SideOnly;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.event.FMLInitializationEvent;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.event.FMLPreInitializationEvent;
@@ -56,6 +60,8 @@ public class MockMod
     @Metadata
     private ModMetadata meta;
 
+    @SidedProxy(clientSide="cpw.mods.mockmod.MockProxyClient", serverSide="cpw.mods.mockmod.MockProxy")
+    public static MockProxy proxy;
 //    @Block(name="MyBlock", itemTypeClass=TestItem.class)
 //    private MockBlock myBlock;
 
@@ -70,5 +76,6 @@ public class MockMod
     public void init(FMLInitializationEvent evt)
     {
         System.out.printf("Hello from mockmod init : %s %s %s\n", myInstance, meta, MockBlock.tstInstance);
+        proxy.throwError();
     }
 }
diff --git a/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxy.java b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxy.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9fdb3f7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxy.java
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+package cpw.mods.mockmod;
+
+public class MockProxy
+{
+    public void throwError()
+    {
+        throw new RuntimeException();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxyClient.java b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxyClient.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..145235425
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fml/eclipse/FML-MockMod/src/cpw/mods/mockmod/MockProxyClient.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package cpw.mods.mockmod;
+
+import net.minecraft.src.FontRenderer;
+import net.minecraft.src.GuiErrorScreen;
+import cpw.mods.fml.client.CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException;
+
+public class MockProxyClient extends MockProxy
+{
+    @Override
+    public void throwError()
+    {
+        throw new CustomModLoadingErrorDisplayException()
+        {
+
+            @Override
+            public void drawScreen(GuiErrorScreen errorScreen, FontRenderer fontRenderer, int par1, int par2, float par3)
+            {
+                errorScreen.func_73732_a(fontRenderer, "MockMod doesn't like your installation", errorScreen.field_73880_f / 2, 75, 0xFFFFFF);
+
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void initGui(GuiErrorScreen errorScreen, FontRenderer renderer)
+            {
+                // noop
+            }
+        };
+    }
+}