diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_errstr.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_errstr.h
index 78512156293..938bb94e3c8 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_errstr.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_errstr.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace netlist
 	PERRMSGV(MF_UNKNOWN_PARAM_TYPE,                 1, "Can not determine param_type for {1}")
 	PERRMSGV(MF_ERROR_CONNECTING_1_TO_2,            2, "Error connecting {1} to {2}")
 	PERRMSGV(MF_NO_SOLVER,                          0, "No solver found for this netlist although analog elements are present")
-	PERRMSGV(MF_HND_VAL_NOT_SUPPORTED,              1, "HINT_NO_DEACTIVATE value not supported: <{1}>")
+	PERRMSGV(ME_HND_VAL_NOT_SUPPORTED,              1, "HINT_NO_DEACTIVATE value not supported: <{1}>")
 	PERRMSGV(MW_ROM_NOT_FOUND,                      1, "Rom {1} not found")
 
 	// nl_factory.cpp
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ namespace netlist
 
 	PERRMSGV(MW_DATA_1_NOT_FOUND,                   1, "unable to find data {1} in sources collection")
 
-	PERRMSGV(MW_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND_FOR_HINT,          1, "Device not found for hint {1}")
-	PERRMSGV(MW_UNKNOWN_PARAMETER,                  1, "Unknown parameter {1}")
+	PERRMSGV(ME_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND_FOR_HINT,          1, "Device not found for hint {1}")
+	PERRMSGV(ME_UNKNOWN_PARAMETER,                  1, "Unknown parameter {1}")
+	PERRMSGV(MF_ERRORS_FOUND,                       1, "Counted {1} errors which need to be fixed")
 
 	// nlid_proxy.cpp
 
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
index 228ddf7c1c7..1b1d3aeea6c 100755
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
@@ -1276,6 +1276,7 @@ void setup_t::prepare_to_run()
 		}
 	}
 
+	int errcnt(0);
 	log().debug("Looking for unknown parameters ...\n");
 	for (auto &p : m_param_values)
 	{
@@ -1287,10 +1288,16 @@ void setup_t::prepare_to_run()
 				// FIXME: get device name, check for device
 				auto *dev = m_nlstate.find_device(plib::replace_all(p.first, sHINT_NO_DEACTIVATE, ""));
 				if (dev == nullptr)
-					log().warning(MW_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND_FOR_HINT(p.first));
+				{
+					log().error(ME_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND_FOR_HINT(p.first));
+					errcnt++;
+				}
 			}
 			else
-				log().warning(MW_UNKNOWN_PARAMETER(p.first));
+			{
+				log().error(ME_UNKNOWN_PARAMETER(p.first));
+				errcnt++;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1308,17 +1315,26 @@ void setup_t::prepare_to_run()
 				auto v = plib::pstonum_ne<nl_fptype>(p->second, err);
 				if (err || plib::abs(v - plib::floor(v)) > nlconst::magic(1e-6) )
 				{
-					log().fatal(MF_HND_VAL_NOT_SUPPORTED(p->second));
-					throw nl_exception(MF_HND_VAL_NOT_SUPPORTED(p->second));
+					log().error(ME_HND_VAL_NOT_SUPPORTED(p->second));
+					errcnt++;
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					// FIXME comparison with zero
+					d.second->set_hint_deactivate(v == nlconst::zero());
 				}
-				// FIXME comparison with zero
-				d.second->set_hint_deactivate(v == nlconst::zero());
 			}
 		}
 		else
 			d.second->set_hint_deactivate(false);
 	}
 
+	if (errcnt)
+	{
+		log().fatal(MF_ERRORS_FOUND(errcnt));
+		throw nl_exception(MF_ERRORS_FOUND(errcnt));
+	}
+
 	// resolve inputs
 	resolve_inputs();