diff --git a/src/bar/Bar.cpp b/src/bar/Bar.cpp
index 3ba8dd5..3021d1f 100644
--- a/src/bar/Bar.cpp
+++ b/src/bar/Bar.cpp
@@ -352,11 +352,17 @@ void CStatusBar::setup(int MonitorID) {
 
     // fix tray
     fixTrayOnCreate();
+
+
+    m_bIsDestroyed = false;
 }
 
 void CStatusBar::destroy() {
     Debug::log(LOG, "Destroying the bar!");
 
+    if (m_bIsDestroyed) 
+        return;
+
     saveTrayOnDestroy();
 
     xcb_close_font(g_pWindowManager->DisplayConnection, m_mContexts["HITEXT"].Font);
@@ -371,6 +377,8 @@ void CStatusBar::destroy() {
     // Free cairo
     cairo_destroy(m_pCairo);
     m_pCairo = nullptr;
+
+    m_bIsDestroyed = true;
 }
 
 int CStatusBar::getTextWidth(std::string text, std::string font) {
@@ -401,6 +409,20 @@ int CStatusBar::getTextHalfY() {
     return m_vecSize.y - (m_vecSize.y - 9) / 2.f;
 }
 
+void CStatusBar::drawErrorScreen() {
+    drawCairoRectangle(Vector2D(0, 0), m_vecSize, 0xFFaa1111);
+    drawText(Vector2D(1, getTextHalfY()), ConfigManager::parseError, 0xff000000, ConfigManager::getString("bar:font.main"));
+
+
+    // do all the drawing cuz we return later
+    cairo_surface_flush(m_pCairoSurface);
+
+    xcb_copy_area(g_pWindowManager->DisplayConnection, m_iPixmap, m_iWindowID, m_mContexts["BG"].GContext,
+                  0, 0, 0, 0, m_vecSize.x, m_vecSize.y);
+
+    xcb_flush(g_pWindowManager->DisplayConnection);
+}
+
 void CStatusBar::draw() {
 
     if (m_bIsCovered)
@@ -418,6 +440,12 @@ void CStatusBar::draw() {
     cairo_restore(m_pCairo);
     //
 
+    if (ConfigManager::parseError != "") {
+        // draw a special error screen
+        drawErrorScreen();
+        return;
+    }
+
     drawCairoRectangle(Vector2D(0, 0), m_vecSize, ConfigManager::getInt("bar:col.bg"));
 
     //
diff --git a/src/bar/Bar.hpp b/src/bar/Bar.hpp
index 3da30ef..a3b4699 100644
--- a/src/bar/Bar.hpp
+++ b/src/bar/Bar.hpp
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ public:
     std::vector<SBarModule> modules;
 
 private:
+    // for not deleting nulls
+    bool                m_bIsDestroyed = true;
+
     Vector2D            m_vecSize;
     Vector2D            m_vecPosition;
 
@@ -81,6 +84,7 @@ private:
     int                 drawModule(SBarModule*, int);
     int                 drawWorkspacesModule(SBarModule*, int);
     int                 getTextHalfY();
+    void                drawErrorScreen();
 
     std::unordered_map<std::string, SDrawingContext> m_mContexts;
 
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index 3a6c921..f46f519 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -64,18 +64,21 @@ void configSetValueSafe(const std::string& COMMAND, const std::string& VALUE) {
                 CONFIGENTRY.intValue = stol(VALUE);
         } catch (...) {
             Debug::log(WARN, "Error reading value of " + COMMAND);
+            ConfigManager::parseError = "Error setting value <" + VALUE + "> for field <" + COMMAND + ">.";
         }
     } else if (CONFIGENTRY.floatValue != -1) {
         try {
             CONFIGENTRY.floatValue = stof(VALUE);
         } catch (...) {
             Debug::log(WARN, "Error reading value of " + COMMAND);
+            ConfigManager::parseError = "Error setting value <" + VALUE + "> for field <" + COMMAND + ">.";
         }
     } else if (CONFIGENTRY.strValue != "") {
         try {
             CONFIGENTRY.strValue = VALUE;
         } catch (...) {
             Debug::log(WARN, "Error reading value of " + COMMAND);
+            ConfigManager::parseError = "Error setting value <" + VALUE + "> for field <" + COMMAND + ">.";
         }
     }
 }
@@ -148,6 +151,7 @@ void parseModule(const std::string& COMMANDC, const std::string& VALUE) {
             module.pad = stol(PADW);
         } catch (...) {
             Debug::log(ERR, "Module creation pad error: invalid pad");
+            ConfigManager::parseError = "Module creation error in pad: invalid pad.";
             return;
         }
 
@@ -184,6 +188,7 @@ void parseModule(const std::string& COMMANDC, const std::string& VALUE) {
         module.bgcolor = stol(COL2.substr(2), nullptr, 16);
     } catch (...) {
         Debug::log(ERR, "Module creation color error: invalid color");
+        ConfigManager::parseError = "Module creation error in color: invalid color.";
         return;
     }
 
@@ -191,6 +196,7 @@ void parseModule(const std::string& COMMANDC, const std::string& VALUE) {
         module.updateEveryMs = stol(UPDATE);
     } catch (...) {
         Debug::log(ERR, "Module creation error: invalid update interval");
+        ConfigManager::parseError = "Module creation error in interval: invalid interval.";
         return;
     }
 
@@ -282,6 +288,8 @@ void parseLine(std::string& line) {
 
 void ConfigManager::loadConfigLoadVars() {
     Debug::log(LOG, "Reloading the config!");
+    ConfigManager::parseError = ""; // reset the error
+    ConfigManager::isBar = false; // reset the bar
 
     if (loadBar && g_pWindowManager->statusBar) {
         // clear modules as we overwrite them
@@ -302,10 +310,12 @@ void ConfigManager::loadConfigLoadVars() {
 
     if (!ifs.good()) {
         Debug::log(WARN, "Config reading error. (No file?)");
+        ConfigManager::parseError = "The config could not be read. (No file?)";
         return;
     }
 
     std::string line = "";
+    int linenum = 1;
     if (ifs.is_open()) {
         while (std::getline(ifs, line)) {
             // Read line by line.
@@ -314,7 +324,17 @@ void ConfigManager::loadConfigLoadVars() {
             } catch(...) {
                 Debug::log(ERR, "Error reading line from config. Line:");
                 Debug::log(NONE, line);
+
+                parseError = "Config error at line " + std::to_string(linenum) + ": Line parsing error.";
+                break;
             }
+
+            if (parseError != "") {
+                parseError = "Config error at line " + std::to_string(linenum) + ": " + parseError;
+                break;
+            }
+
+            ++linenum;
             
         }
 
@@ -325,9 +345,17 @@ void ConfigManager::loadConfigLoadVars() {
     g_pWindowManager->recalcAllWorkspaces();
 
     // Reload the bar as well, don't load it before the default is loaded.
-    if (loadBar && g_pWindowManager->statusBar) {
+    if (loadBar && g_pWindowManager->statusBar && (configValues["bar:enabled"].intValue == 1 || parseError != "")) {
         g_pWindowManager->statusBar->destroy();
+
+        // make the bar height visible
+        if (parseError != "") {
+            configValues["bar:height"].intValue = 15;
+        }
+
         g_pWindowManager->statusBar->setup(configValues["bar:monitor"].intValue);
+    } else if (g_pWindowManager->statusBar) {
+        g_pWindowManager->statusBar->destroy();
     }
 
     // Ensure correct layout
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
index a7b96b8..cca52db 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ namespace ConfigManager {
 
     inline bool         isFirstLaunch = false;
 
+    inline std::string  parseError = ""; // For storing a parse error to display later
+
     void                init();
     void                loadConfigLoadVars();
     void                tick();