diff --git a/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp b/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
index d4569000bf..699ff855c5 100644
--- a/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
+++ b/apps/esmtool/esmtool.cpp
@@ -123,14 +123,9 @@ bool parseOptions (int argc, char** argv, Arguments &info)
 
         bpo::store(valid_opts, variables);
     }
-    catch(boost::program_options::unknown_option & x)
+    catch(std::exception &e)
     {
-        std::cerr << "ERROR: " << x.what() << std::endl;
-        return false;
-    }
-    catch(boost::program_options::invalid_command_line_syntax & x)
-    {
-        std::cerr << "ERROR: " << x.what() << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "ERROR parsing arguments: " << e.what() << std::endl;
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
index 6c0c745972..e3f2b89f8b 100644
--- a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
+++ b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include <components/vfs/bsaarchive.hpp>
 #include <components/vfs/filesystemarchive.hpp>
 
-#include <boost/exception/all.hpp>
 #include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
 
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ void readVFS(VFS::Archive* anArchive,std::string archivePath = "")
     }
 }
 
-std::vector<std::string> parseOptions (int argc, char** argv)
+bool parseOptions (int argc, char** argv, std::vector<std::string>& files)
 {
     bpo::options_description desc("Ensure that OpenMW can use the provided NIF and BSA files\n\n"
         "Usages:\n"
@@ -108,37 +107,31 @@ std::vector<std::string> parseOptions (int argc, char** argv)
     {
         std::cout << "ERROR parsing arguments: " << e.what() << "\n\n"
             << desc << std::endl;
-        exit(1);
+        return false;
     }
 
     bpo::notify(variables);
     if (variables.count ("help"))
     {
         std::cout << desc << std::endl;
-        exit(1);
+        return false;
     }
     if (variables.count("input-file"))
     {
-        return variables["input-file"].as< std::vector<std::string> >();
+        files = variables["input-file"].as< std::vector<std::string> >();
+        return true;
     }
 
     std::cout << "No input files or directories specified!" << std::endl;
     std::cout << desc << std::endl;
-    exit(1);
+    return false;
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     std::vector<std::string> files;
-    try
-    {
-        files = parseOptions (argc, argv);
-    }
-    catch( boost::exception &e )
-    {
-        std::cout << "ERROR parsing arguments: " << boost::diagnostic_information(e) << std::endl;
-        exit(1);
-    }
+    if(!parseOptions (argc, argv, files))
+        return 1;
 
 //     std::cout << "Reading Files" << std::endl;
     for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it=files.begin(); it!=files.end(); ++it)