diff --git a/pyfpdb/Hand.py b/pyfpdb/Hand.py
index ee6d0bf2..ef5cdae4 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/Hand.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Hand.py
@@ -683,9 +683,15 @@ class HoldemOmahaHand(Hand):
             hhc.readPlayerStacks(self)
             hhc.compilePlayerRegexs(self)
             hhc.markStreets(self)
+            
             if self.cancelled:
                 return
-            hhc.readBlinds(self)
+            
+            try: hhc.readBlinds(self)
+            except:
+                print "*** Parse error reading blinds (check compilePlayerRegexs as a likely culprit)", self
+                return
+            
             hhc.readAntes(self)
             hhc.readButton(self)
             hhc.readHeroCards(self)
diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
index 8faf5dfb..a6f19aaa 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -441,6 +441,7 @@ or None if we fail to get the info """
                         pass
                 else:
                     print "unable to read file with any codec in list!", self.in_path
+                    self.obs = None
         elif self.filetype == "xml":
             doc = xml.dom.minidom.parse(filename)
             self.doc = doc