diff --git a/cve_bin_tool/version_compare.py b/cve_bin_tool/version_compare.py
index c365a96474..c01135d205 100644
--- a/cve_bin_tool/version_compare.py
+++ b/cve_bin_tool/version_compare.py
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 """
 
 
+class CannotParseVersionException(Exception):
+    """
+    Thrown if the version doesn't comply with our expectations
+    """
+
 def parse_version(version_string: str):
     """
     Splits a version string into an array for comparison.
@@ -54,11 +59,11 @@ def parse_version(version_string: str):
                 versionArray.append(result[0][0])
                 versionArray.append(result[0][1])
             else:
-                print(f"Cannot parse version {version_string}")
+                raise CannotParseVersionException(f"version string = {versionString}")
 
         # If all else fails, complain
         else:
-            print(f"What is {section} supposed to be?")
+            raise CannotParseVersionException(f"version string = {versionString}")
 
     return versionArray