diff --git a/src/libs/3rdparty/modeling/qmt/serializer/projectserializer.cpp b/src/libs/3rdparty/modeling/qmt/serializer/projectserializer.cpp
index e8dc704a5d3..05e06337484 100644
--- a/src/libs/3rdparty/modeling/qmt/serializer/projectserializer.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/3rdparty/modeling/qmt/serializer/projectserializer.cpp
@@ -137,12 +137,19 @@ void ProjectSerializer::load(const QString &file_name, Project *project)
 #endif
 
     QXmlStreamReader reader(xml_device);
-    qark::QXmlInArchive archive(reader);
-    archive.beginDocument();
-    archive >> qark::tag("qmt");
-    archive >> *project;
-    archive >> qark::end;
-    archive.endDocument();
+
+    try {
+        qark::QXmlInArchive archive(reader);
+        archive.beginDocument();
+        archive >> qark::tag("qmt");
+        archive >> *project;
+        archive >> qark::end;
+        archive.endDocument();
+    } catch (const qark::QXmlInArchive::FileFormatException &) {
+        throw FileIOException(QStringLiteral("illegal file format"), file_name);
+    } catch (...) {
+        throw FileIOException(QStringLiteral("serialization error"), file_name);
+    }
 
 #ifdef USE_COMPRESSED_FILES
     uncompressor.close();
@@ -155,12 +162,17 @@ void ProjectSerializer::write(QXmlStreamWriter *writer, const Project *project)
     writer->setAutoFormatting(true);
     writer->setAutoFormattingIndent(1);
 
-    qark::QXmlOutArchive archive(*writer);
-    archive.beginDocument();
-    archive << qark::tag("qmt");
-    archive << *project;
-    archive << qark::end;
-    archive.endDocument();
+    try {
+        qark::QXmlOutArchive archive(*writer);
+        archive.beginDocument();
+        archive << qark::tag("qmt");
+        archive << *project;
+        archive << qark::end;
+        archive.endDocument();
+    } catch (...) {
+        throw IOException(QStringLiteral("serialization error"));
+    }
+
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.cpp b/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.cpp
index 928b958f220..f25e8cc1f6c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.cpp
@@ -74,9 +74,8 @@ Core::IDocument::OpenResult ModelDocument::open(QString *errorString, const QStr
 {
     Q_UNUSED(fileName);
 
-    if (!load(errorString, realFileName))
-        return Core::IDocument::OpenResult::ReadError;
-    return Core::IDocument::OpenResult::Success;
+    OpenResult result = load(errorString, realFileName);
+    return result;
 }
 
 bool ModelDocument::save(QString *errorString, const QString &name, bool autoSave)
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ ExtDocumentController *ModelDocument::documentController() const
     return d->documentController;
 }
 
-bool ModelDocument::load(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName)
+Core::IDocument::OpenResult ModelDocument::load(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName)
 {
     d->documentController = ModelEditorPlugin::modelsManager()->createModel(this);
     connect(d->documentController, &qmt::DocumentController::changed, this, &IDocument::changed);
@@ -151,13 +150,16 @@ bool ModelDocument::load(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName)
     try {
         d->documentController->loadProject(fileName);
         setFilePath(Utils::FileName::fromString(d->documentController->getProjectController()->getProject()->getFileName()));
-    } catch (const qmt::Exception &ex) {
+    } catch (const qmt::FileNotFoundException &ex) {
         *errorString = ex.getErrorMsg();
-        return false;
+        return OpenResult::ReadError;
+    } catch (const qmt::Exception &ex) {
+        *errorString = tr("Could not open \"%1\" for reading: %2.").arg(fileName).arg(ex.getErrorMsg());
+        return OpenResult::CannotHandle;
     }
 
     emit contentSet();
-    return true;
+    return OpenResult::Success;
 }
 
 } // namespace Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.h b/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.h
index f2c5d65e5b7..2a5272f4a28 100644
--- a/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.h
+++ b/src/plugins/modeleditor/modeldocument.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ signals:
     void contentSet();
 
 public:
-    IDocument::OpenResult open(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName,
+    OpenResult open(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName,
                                const QString &realFileName) override;
     bool save(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName, bool autoSave) override;
     QString defaultPath() const override;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public:
 
     ExtDocumentController *documentController() const;
 
-    bool load(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName);
+    OpenResult load(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName);
 
 private:
     ModelDocumentPrivate *d;