diff --git a/src/registry.py b/src/registry.py
index fc864bc9e..ae981fc46 100644
--- a/src/registry.py
+++ b/src/registry.py
@@ -111,11 +111,16 @@ def close(registry, filename, private=True):
             if hasattr(value, 'value'):
                 if value._showDefault:
                     lines.append('#\n')
-                    x = value.__class__(value._default, value._help)
+                    try:
+                        x = value.__class__(value._default, value._help)
+                    except Exception, e:
+                        exception('Exception instantiating default for %s:',
+                                  value._name)
                     try:
                         lines.append('# Default value: %s\n' % x)
                     except Exception, e:
-                        exception('Exception printing default value:')
+                        exception('Exception printing default value of %s:',
+                                  value._name)
             lines.append('###\n')
             fd.writelines(lines)
         if hasattr(value, 'value'): # This lets us print help for non-valued.