diff --git a/include/appfwk/detail/DAQModule.hxx b/include/appfwk/detail/DAQModule.hxx
index 003c351..27c03c9 100644
--- a/include/appfwk/detail/DAQModule.hxx
+++ b/include/appfwk/detail/DAQModule.hxx
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ make_module(std::string const& plugin_name, std::string const& instance_name)
   try {
     mod_ptr = bpf.makePlugin<std::shared_ptr<DAQModule>>(plugin_name, instance_name);
   } catch (const cet::exception& cexpt) {
+    ers::error(DAQModuleCreationFailed(ERS_HERE, plugin_name, instance_name, cexpt));
     throw DAQModuleCreationFailed(ERS_HERE, plugin_name, instance_name, cexpt);
   }
   return mod_ptr;
diff --git a/unittest/DAQModule_test.cxx b/unittest/DAQModule_test.cxx
index d89f536..f6d9195 100644
--- a/unittest/DAQModule_test.cxx
+++ b/unittest/DAQModule_test.cxx
@@ -124,9 +124,14 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(Commands)
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(MakeModule)
 {
-  BOOST_REQUIRE_EXCEPTION(make_module("not_a_real_plugin_name", "error_test"),
-                          DAQModuleCreationFailed,
-                          [&](DAQModuleCreationFailed) { return true; });
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_EXCEPTION(
+    make_module("not_a_valid_plugin_name", "error_test"), DAQModuleCreationFailed, [&](DAQModuleCreationFailed e) {
+      return e.cause()->message().find("contains an illegal underscore") != std::string::npos;
+    });
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_EXCEPTION(
+    make_module("not-a-real-plugin-name", "error_test"), DAQModuleCreationFailed, [&](DAQModuleCreationFailed e) {
+      return e.cause()->message().find("does not correspond to any library") != std::string::npos;
+    });
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(RegisterCommand)