diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/exceptions.rb b/Library/Homebrew/exceptions.rb
index c5d888d644..77da4489e8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/exceptions.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/exceptions.rb
@@ -131,6 +131,19 @@ class FormulaClassUnavailableError < FormulaUnavailableError
   end
 end
 
+class FormulaUnreadableError < FormulaUnavailableError
+  attr_reader :formula_error
+
+  def initialize(name, error)
+    super(name)
+    @formula_error = error
+  end
+
+  def to_s
+    "#{name}: " + formula_error.to_s
+  end
+end
+
 class TapFormulaAmbiguityError < RuntimeError
   attr_reader :name, :paths, :formulae
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
index 25df57cdc2..cf85ba03f6 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formulary.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ class Formulary
 
     mod = Module.new
     const_set(namespace, mod)
-    mod.module_eval(contents, path)
+    begin
+      mod.module_eval(contents, path)
+    rescue ScriptError => e
+      raise FormulaUnreadableError.new(name, e)
+    end
     class_name = class_s(name)
 
     begin
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/exceptions_test.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/exceptions_test.rb
index 689531c6ee..e9fedef047 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/exceptions_test.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/exceptions_test.rb
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ class ExceptionsTest < Homebrew::TestCase
       FormulaClassUnavailableError.new("foo", "foo.rb", "Foo", list).to_s
   end
 
+  def test_formula_unreadable_error
+    formula_error = LoadError.new("bar")
+    assert_equal "foo: bar", FormulaUnreadableError.new("foo", formula_error).to_s
+  end
+
   def test_tap_unavailable_error
     assert_equal "No available tap foo.\n", TapUnavailableError.new("foo").to_s
   end