diff --git a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalControl.java b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalControl.java
index d1b4e2a4dde..663f2c26ec9 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalControl.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalControl.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.net.SocketException;
 
 import org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.MessageDialog;
 import org.eclipse.jface.resource.JFaceResources;
+import org.eclipse.osgi.util.NLS;
 import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.StyledText;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.VerifyKeyListener;
@@ -239,7 +240,12 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 		if(fConnector==null)
 			return;
 		fTerminalText.resetState();
-		fConnector.connect(this);
+		try {
+			fConnector.connect(this);
+		} catch(RuntimeException e) {
+			showErrorMessage(NLS.bind(TerminalMessages.CannotConnectTo,new Object[]{fConnector.getName(),e.getMessage()}));
+			return;
+		}
 		// clean the error message
 		setMsg(""); //$NON-NLS-1$
 		waitForConnect();
@@ -272,8 +278,7 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 		}
 		if (!getMsg().equals("")) //$NON-NLS-1$
 		{
-			String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
-			MessageDialog.openError( getShell(), strTitle, getMsg());
+			showErrorMessage(getMsg());
 	
 			disconnectTerminal();
 			return;
@@ -282,6 +287,11 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 		getCtlText().setFocus();
 	}
 
+	private void showErrorMessage(String message) {
+		String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
+		MessageDialog.openError( getShell(), strTitle, message);
+	}
+
 	protected void sendString(String string) {
 		try {
 			// Send the string after converting it to an array of bytes using the
@@ -294,21 +304,16 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 		} catch (SocketException socketException) {
 			displayTextInTerminal(socketException.getMessage());
 
-			String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
 			String strMsg = TerminalMessages.SocketError
 					+ "!\n" + socketException.getMessage(); //$NON-NLS-1$
+			showErrorMessage(strMsg);
 
-			MessageDialog.openError(getShell(), strTitle, strMsg);
 			Logger.logException(socketException);
 
 			disconnectTerminal();
 		} catch (IOException ioException) {
-			displayTextInTerminal(ioException.getMessage());
+			showErrorMessage(TerminalMessages.IOError + "!\n" + ioException.getMessage());//$NON-NLS-1$
 
-			String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
-			String strMsg = TerminalMessages.IOError + "!\n" + ioException.getMessage(); //$NON-NLS-1$
-
-			MessageDialog.openError(getShell(), strTitle, strMsg);
 			Logger.logException(ioException);
 
 			disconnectTerminal();
@@ -348,11 +353,10 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 
 			displayTextInTerminal(socketException.getMessage());
 
-			String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
 			String strMsg = TerminalMessages.SocketError
 					+ "!\n" + socketException.getMessage(); //$NON-NLS-1$
 
-			MessageDialog.openError(getShell(), strTitle, strMsg);
+			showErrorMessage(strMsg);
 			Logger.logException(socketException);
 
 			disconnectTerminal();
@@ -361,10 +365,9 @@ public class TerminalControl implements ITerminalControlForText, ITerminalContro
 
 			displayTextInTerminal(ioException.getMessage());
 
-			String strTitle = TerminalMessages.TerminalError;
 			String strMsg = TerminalMessages.IOError + "!\n" + ioException.getMessage(); //$NON-NLS-1$
 
-			MessageDialog.openError(getShell(), strTitle, strMsg);
+			showErrorMessage(strMsg);
 			Logger.logException(ioException);
 
 			disconnectTerminal();
diff --git a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.java b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.java
index 40a74cc6b25..97031d5c80d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.java
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ public class TerminalMessages extends NLS {
     public static String TerminalError;
     public static String SocketError;
     public static String IOError;
-
+    public static String CannotConnectTo;
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.properties b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.properties
index 11796edc220..2c49b042ca5 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.properties
+++ b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/control/impl/TerminalMessages.properties
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@
 TerminalError = Terminal Error
 SocketError = Socket Error
 IOError = IO Error
+CannotConnectTo = Cannot connect to {1}:\n{2}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/provisional/api/TerminalConnectorExtension.java b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/provisional/api/TerminalConnectorExtension.java
index 0367fd08dfb..05e59a42c11 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/provisional/api/TerminalConnectorExtension.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/provisional/api/TerminalConnectorExtension.java
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ public class TerminalConnectorExtension {
 			if(!isInitialized()) {
 				try {
 					fConnector=createConnector(fConfig);
-					if(!fConnector.isInstalled())
+					if(fConnector==null || !fConnector.isInstalled())
+						// TODO MSA externalize
 						throw new RuntimeException(getName()+ " is not properly installed!"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				} catch (Exception e) {
 					fException=e;
@@ -92,9 +93,8 @@ public class TerminalConnectorExtension {
 				if(fConnector!=null && fStore!=null)
 					fConnector.load(fStore);
 			}
-			if(fConnector==null) {
+			if(fException!=null)
 				throw new RuntimeException(fException);
-			}
 			return fConnector;
 		}
 		private boolean isInitialized() {