diff --git a/src/data/settings.hpp b/src/data/settings.hpp
index 609dc572..86ecf68a 100644
--- a/src/data/settings.hpp
+++ b/src/data/settings.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ enum InstallType
 ,	INSTALL_GLOBAL	// install to the global files
 };
 
-bool parse_enum(const String&, InstallType&);
+void parse_enum(const String&, InstallType&);
 bool is_install_local(InstallType type);
 
 /// How to handle filename conflicts
diff --git a/src/script/functions/image.cpp b/src/script/functions/image.cpp
index 5f6e8b10..9966eea4 100644
--- a/src/script/functions/image.cpp
+++ b/src/script/functions/image.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 DECLARE_TYPEOF_COLLECTION(SymbolVariationP);
 
-bool parse_enum(const String&, ImageCombine& out);
+void parse_enum(const String&, ImageCombine& out);
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Utility
 
@@ -56,9 +56,7 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(combine_blend) {
 	SCRIPT_PARAM(GeneratedImageP, image1);
 	SCRIPT_PARAM(GeneratedImageP, image2);
 	ImageCombine image_combine;
-	if (!parse_enum(combine, image_combine)) {
-		throw ScriptError(_("Not a valid combine mode: '") + combine + _("'"));
-	}
+	parse_enum(combine, image_combine);
 	return new_intrusive3<CombineBlendImage>(image1, image2, image_combine);
 }
 
@@ -78,9 +76,7 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(set_combine) {
 	SCRIPT_PARAM(String, combine);
 	SCRIPT_PARAM_C(GeneratedImageP, input);
 	ImageCombine image_combine;
-	if (!parse_enum(combine, image_combine)) {
-		throw ScriptError(_("Not a valid combine mode: '") + combine + _("'"));
-	}
+	parse_enum(combine, image_combine);
 	return new_intrusive2<SetCombineImage>(input, image_combine);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/script/scriptable.cpp b/src/script/scriptable.cpp
index d6d7e853..f14e96b7 100644
--- a/src/script/scriptable.cpp
+++ b/src/script/scriptable.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #include <gfx/color.hpp>
 
 Alignment from_string(const String&);
-bool parse_enum(const String&,Direction&);
+void parse_enum(const String&,Direction&);
 
 DECLARE_TYPEOF_COLLECTION(ScriptParseError);
 
diff --git a/src/util/io/reader.cpp b/src/util/io/reader.cpp
index a17a0ecc..7f259e7b 100644
--- a/src/util/io/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/util/io/reader.cpp
@@ -411,3 +411,17 @@ template <> void Reader::handle(FileName& f) {
 		handle(static_cast<String&>(f));
 	}
 }
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : EnumReader
+
+void EnumReader::warnIfNotDone(Reader* errors_to) {
+	if (!done) {
+		// warning: unknown value
+		errors_to->warning(_ERROR_1_("unrecognized value", read));
+	}
+}
+void EnumReader::errorIfNotDone() {
+	if (!done) {
+		throw ParseError(_ERROR_1_("unrecognized value", read));
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/util/io/reader.hpp b/src/util/io/reader.hpp
index d36c2996..1341bc7c 100644
--- a/src/util/io/reader.hpp
+++ b/src/util/io/reader.hpp
@@ -256,15 +256,12 @@ void Reader::handle(IndexMap<K,V>& m) {
 	template<> void Reader::handle<Enum>(Enum& enum_) {			\
 		EnumReader reader(getValue());							\
 		reflect_ ## Enum(enum_, reader);						\
-		if (!reader.isDone()) {									\
-			/* warning: unknown value */						\
-			warning(_ERROR_1_("unrecognized value", value));	\
-		}														\
+		reader.warnIfNotDone(this);								\
 	}															\
-	bool parse_enum(const String& value, Enum& out) {			\
+	void parse_enum(const String& value, Enum& out) {			\
 		EnumReader reader(value);								\
 		reflect_ ## Enum(out, reader);							\
-		return reader.isDone();									\
+		reader.errorIfNotDone();								\
 	}
 
 /// 'Tag' to be used when reflecting enumerations for Reader
@@ -287,6 +284,8 @@ class EnumReader {
 	}
 	
 	inline bool isDone() const { return done; }
+	void warnIfNotDone(Reader* errors_to);
+	void errorIfNotDone();
 	
   private:
 	String read;  ///< The string to match to a value name