diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/AbstractFileBasedCodeOwnerBackend.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/AbstractFileBasedCodeOwnerBackend.java
index aa0c836..1de1325 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/AbstractFileBasedCodeOwnerBackend.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/AbstractFileBasedCodeOwnerBackend.java
@@ -121,9 +121,17 @@
           revWalk.close();
         }
       }
-    } catch (IOException | ConfigInvalidException e) {
+    } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new StorageException(
           String.format("failed to load code owner config %s", codeOwnerConfigKey), e);
+    } catch (ConfigInvalidException e) {
+      throw new StorageException(
+          String.format(
+              "invalid code owner config file %s (project = %s, branch = %s)",
+              codeOwnerConfigKey.filePath(defaultFileName),
+              codeOwnerConfigKey.project(),
+              codeOwnerConfigKey.branchNameKey().branch()),
+          e);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwners.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwners.java
index 519bc8f..5f697d2 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwners.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwners.java
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
    * ConfigInvalidException}). If yes, the {@link ConfigInvalidException} is returned. If no, {@link
    * Optional#empty()} is returned.
    */
-  public static Optional<ConfigInvalidException> getInvalidConfigCause(Exception e) {
+  public static Optional<ConfigInvalidException> getInvalidConfigCause(Throwable e) {
     return Throwables.getCausalChain(e).stream()
         .filter(t -> t instanceof ConfigInvalidException)
         .map(t -> (ConfigInvalidException) t)
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/InvalidPluginConfigurationException.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/InvalidPluginConfigurationException.java
index 7bf92bd..08f75bc 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/InvalidPluginConfigurationException.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/InvalidPluginConfigurationException.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import com.google.common.base.Throwables;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.gerrit.common.Nullable;
+import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.CodeOwners;
 import java.util.Optional;
 
 /**
@@ -27,12 +28,14 @@
   public static class ExceptionHook implements com.google.gerrit.server.ExceptionHook {
     @Override
     public boolean skipRetryWithTrace(String actionType, String actionName, Throwable throwable) {
-      return isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable);
+      return isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable)
+          || isInvalidCodeOwnerConfigException(throwable);
     }
 
     @Override
     public ImmutableList<String> getUserMessages(Throwable throwable, @Nullable String traceId) {
-      if (isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable)) {
+      if (isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable)
+          || isInvalidCodeOwnerConfigException(throwable)) {
         return ImmutableList.of(throwable.getMessage());
       }
       return ImmutableList.of();
@@ -40,7 +43,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public Optional<Status> getStatus(Throwable throwable) {
-      if (isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable)) {
+      if (isInvalidPluginConfigurationException(throwable)
+          || isInvalidCodeOwnerConfigException(throwable)) {
         return Optional.of(Status.create(409, "Conflict"));
       }
       return Optional.empty();
@@ -50,6 +54,10 @@
       return Throwables.getCausalChain(throwable).stream()
           .anyMatch(t -> t instanceof InvalidPluginConfigurationException);
     }
+
+    private static boolean isInvalidCodeOwnerConfigException(Throwable throwable) {
+      return CodeOwners.getInvalidConfigCause(throwable).isPresent();
+    }
   }
 
   private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerStatusRestIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerStatusRestIT.java
index ec985c1..364c743 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerStatusRestIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerStatusRestIT.java
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.RestResponse;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.config.GerritConfig;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.IdString;
+import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.JgitPath;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.acceptance.AbstractCodeOwnersIT;
 import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.acceptance.AbstractCodeOwnersTest;
+import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.backend.CodeOwnerConfig;
+import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.config.BackendConfig;
+import com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.config.StatusConfig;
+import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 /**
@@ -36,6 +41,13 @@
  * extend {@link AbstractCodeOwnersIT}.
  */
 public class GetCodeOwnerStatusRestIT extends AbstractCodeOwnersTest {
+  private BackendConfig backendConfig;
+
+  @Before
+  public void setUpCodeOwnersPlugin() throws Exception {
+    backendConfig = plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(BackendConfig.class);
+  }
+
   @Test
   @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.backend", value = "non-existing-backend")
   public void cannotGetStatusIfPluginConfigurationIsInvalid() throws Exception {
@@ -51,4 +63,34 @@
                 + " 'non-existing-backend' that is configured in gerrit.config (parameter"
                 + " plugin.code-owners.backend) not found.");
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void cannotGetStatusIfCodeOwnerConfigIsInvalid() throws Exception {
+    String filePath = getCodeOwnerConfigFilePath(createCodeOwnerConfigKey("/"));
+    disableCodeOwnersForProject(project);
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Add code owners", JgitPath.of(filePath).get(), "INVALID").getChangeId();
+    approve(changeId);
+    gApi.changes().id(changeId).current().submit();
+    setCodeOwnersConfig(project, null, StatusConfig.KEY_DISABLED, "false");
+
+    String changeId2 = createChange().getChangeId();
+    RestResponse r =
+        adminRestSession.get(
+            String.format("/changes/%s/code_owners.status", IdString.fromDecoded(changeId2)));
+    r.assertConflict();
+    assertThat(r.getEntityContent())
+        .contains(
+            String.format(
+                "invalid code owner config file %s (project = %s, branch = refs/heads/master)",
+                filePath, project.get()));
+  }
+
+  private CodeOwnerConfig.Key createCodeOwnerConfigKey(String folderPath) {
+    return CodeOwnerConfig.Key.create(project, "master", folderPath);
+  }
+
+  private String getCodeOwnerConfigFilePath(CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey) {
+    return backendConfig.getDefaultBackend().getFilePath(codeOwnerConfigKey).toString();
+  }
 }