diff --git a/compiler/msgs.nim b/compiler/msgs.nim
index 3848bdbfe7..4e9b04de66 100644
--- a/compiler/msgs.nim
+++ b/compiler/msgs.nim
@@ -438,7 +438,11 @@ proc handleError(conf: ConfigRef; msg: TMsgKind, eh: TErrorHandling, s: string,
     if conf.errorCounter >= conf.errorMax:
       # only really quit when we're not in the new 'nim check --def' mode:
       if conf.ideCmd == ideNone:
-        quit(conf, msg)
+        when defined(nimsuggest):
+          #we need to inform the user that something went wrong when initializing NimSuggest
+          raiseRecoverableError(s)
+        else:
+          quit(conf, msg)
     elif eh == doAbort and conf.cmd != cmdIdeTools:
       quit(conf, msg)
     elif eh == doRaise: