diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
index 5fff8f609..94157963f 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ArgumentTypeDescriptor.java
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class RodBindingArgumentTypeDescriptor extends ArgumentTypeDescriptor {
 
                     if ( tribbleType == null )
                         if ( ! file.canRead() | ! file.isFile() ) {
-                            throw new UserException.BadArgumentValue(name, "Couldn't read file to determine type: " + file);
+                            throw new UserException.CouldNotReadInputFile(file, "file does exist or couldn't be read");
                         } else {
                             throw new UserException.CommandLineException(
                                     String.format("No tribble type was provided on the command line and the type of the file could not be determined dynamically. " +
diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/exceptions/UserException.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/exceptions/UserException.java
index 1dea726ae..a1f75be41 100755
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/exceptions/UserException.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/exceptions/UserException.java
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ public class UserException extends ReviewedStingException {
             super(String.format("Couldn't read file because %s caused by %s", message, e.getMessage()));
         }
 
+        public CouldNotReadInputFile(File file) {
+            super(String.format("Couldn't read file %s", file.getAbsolutePath()));
+        }
+
         public CouldNotReadInputFile(File file, String message) {
             super(String.format("Couldn't read file %s because %s", file.getAbsolutePath(), message));
         }