diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 64af28d09..0f49d5d98 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     * Added option to disable `SimpleCache` key validation    
 1. [](#improved)
     * Improved `Utils::url()` to support query strings
+    * Display better exception message if Grav fails to initialize
 1. [](#bugfix)
     * Fixed issue with uppercase extensions and fallback media URLs [#2133](https://github.com/getgrav/grav/issues/2133)   
     * Fixed theme inheritance issue with `camel-case` that includes numbers [#2134](https://github.com/getgrav/grav/issues/2134)
diff --git a/system/src/Grav/Common/Config/Setup.php b/system/src/Grav/Common/Config/Setup.php
index e9180fea8..fba7fd103 100644
--- a/system/src/Grav/Common/Config/Setup.php
+++ b/system/src/Grav/Common/Config/Setup.php
@@ -262,18 +262,22 @@ class Setup extends Data
             );
         }
 
-        if (!$locator->findResource('environment://config', true)) {
-            // If environment does not have its own directory, remove it from the lookup.
-            $this->set('streams.schemes.environment.prefixes', ['config' => []]);
-            $this->initializeLocator($locator);
-        }
+        try {
+            if (!$locator->findResource('environment://config', true)) {
+                // If environment does not have its own directory, remove it from the lookup.
+                $this->set('streams.schemes.environment.prefixes', ['config' => []]);
+                $this->initializeLocator($locator);
+            }
 
-        // Create security.yaml if it doesn't exist.
-        $filename = $locator->findResource('config://security.yaml', true, true);
-        $file = YamlFile::instance($filename);
-        if (!$file->exists()) {
-            $file->save(['salt' => Utils::generateRandomString(14)]);
-            $file->free();
+            // Create security.yaml if it doesn't exist.
+            $filename = $locator->findResource('config://security.yaml', true, true);
+            $file = YamlFile::instance($filename);
+            if (!$file->exists()) {
+                $file->save(['salt' => Utils::generateRandomString(14)]);
+                $file->free();
+            }
+        } catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
+            throw new \RuntimeException(sprintf('Grav failed to initialize: %s', $e->getMessage()), 500, $e);
         }
     }
 }