diff --git a/pubs/databroker.py b/pubs/databroker.py
index d529c3e..97c1398 100644
--- a/pubs/databroker.py
+++ b/pubs/databroker.py
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ class DataBroker(object):
 
     def pull_bibentry(self, citekey):
         bibdata_raw = self.filebroker.pull_bibfile(citekey)
-        return self.endecoder.decode_bibdata(bibdata_raw)
+        try:
+            return self.endecoder.decode_bibdata(bibdata_raw)
+        except self.endecoder.BibDecodingError as e:
+            e.message = "Unable to decode bibtex for paper {}.".format(citekey)
+            raise e
 
     def push_metadata(self, citekey, metadata):
         metadata_raw = self.endecoder.encode_metadata(metadata)