diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
index 74bb7bc8d..a4af97520 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ package org.broadinstitute.sting.commandline;
 import org.apache.log4j.*;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.CommandLineGATK;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.ReviewedStingException;
-import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.UserException;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.help.ApplicationDetails;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.help.HelpFormatter;
 
@@ -381,7 +380,7 @@ public abstract class CommandLineProgram {
         System.exit(1);
     }
 
-    public static void exitSystemWithUserError(UserException e) {
+    public static void exitSystemWithUserError(final Exception e) {
         if ( e.getMessage() == null )
             throw new ReviewedStingException("UserException found with no message!", e);
 
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
index 3e3f974a9..b3440160a 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 package org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk;
 
+import org.broad.tribble.TribbleException;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.arguments.GATKArgumentCollection;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.walkers.Attribution;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.UserException;
@@ -87,6 +88,10 @@ public class CommandLineGATK extends CommandLineExecutable {
             System.exit(CommandLineProgram.result); // todo -- this is a painful hack
         } catch (UserException e) {
             exitSystemWithUserError(e);
+        } catch (TribbleException e) {
+            // We can generate Tribble Exceptions in weird places when e.g. VCF genotype fields are
+            //   lazy loaded, so they aren't caught elsewhere and made into User Exceptions
+            exitSystemWithUserError(e);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             exitSystemWithError(e);
         }