diff --git a/.eslintrc.json b/.eslintrc.json
index cf2fa4838..6a2f0f146 100644
--- a/.eslintrc.json
+++ b/.eslintrc.json
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
     "constructor-super": 2,
     "generator-star-spacing": [2, "after"],
     "no-class-assign": 2,
+    "no-const-assign": 2,
     "no-dupe-class-members": 2,
     "no-new-symbol": 2,
     "no-this-before-super": 2,
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index a2424afb0..c881e8bbe 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 'use strict';
 require('micro-es7-shim');
 const logger = require('loggy');
-const isOldBrunchNewSyntax = options => {
+const BrunchError = require('./utils/error');
+const checkLegacyNewSyntax = options => {
   const rawArgs = options.parent.rawArgs;
-  const newIdx = rawArgs.indexOf('new');
-  const opts = rawArgs.slice(newIdx + 1);
-  const oldSyntax = !options.skeleton && opts.length === 2;
-  if (!oldSyntax) return false;
+  const newArgs = rawArgs.slice(rawArgs.indexOf('new') + 1);
+  const oldSyntax = !options.skeleton && newArgs.length === 2;
+  if (!oldSyntax) return;
 
-  const skeleton = opts[0];
-  const path = opts[1];
-  logger.error(`The 'brunch new ${skeleton} ${path}' syntax is no longer supported. Use 'brunch new ${path} -s ${skeleton}'`);
-  return true;
+  throw new BrunchError('LEGACY_NEW_SYNTAX', {
+    skeleton: newArgs[0],
+    path: newArgs[1],
+  });
 };
 
 const hasDebug = obj => {
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ const hasDebug = obj => {
 
 exports.defaultSkeleton = 'https://github.com/brunch/dead-simple';
 exports.new = (rootPath, options) => {
-  if (isOldBrunchNewSyntax(options)) process.exit(1);
+  checkLegacyNewSyntax(options);
 
   const initSkeleton = require('init-skeleton').init;
   const skeleton = options.skeleton ||
-    process.env.BRUNCH_INIT_SKELETON || exports.defaultSkeleton;
+    process.env.BRUNCH_INIT_SKELETON ||
+    exports.defaultSkeleton;
+
   return initSkeleton(skeleton, {
     logger,
     rootPath,
diff --git a/lib/utils/messages.json b/lib/utils/messages.json
index 47a60dcbe..ef8b4b883 100644
--- a/lib/utils/messages.json
+++ b/lib/utils/messages.json
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@
   "CONVENTION_INVALID": "#{convention} in invalid convention.",
   "FILE_DATA_INVALID": "File #{path} data is invalid.",
   "REMOVE_GET_DEPS": "Compiler '#{name}' already passes dependencies. Remove 'getDependencies' method.",
-  "READ_FAILED": "Failed to read file #{path}."
+  "READ_FAILED": "Failed to read file #{path}.",
+  "LEGACY_NEW_SYNTAX": "The 'brunch new #{skeleton} #{path}' syntax is no longer supported. Use 'brunch new #{path} -s #{skeleton}'."
 }
diff --git a/lib/utils/plugin-adapter.js b/lib/utils/plugin-adapter.js
index cb6922bba..5df44105e 100644
--- a/lib/utils/plugin-adapter.js
+++ b/lib/utils/plugin-adapter.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const methods = [
   'optimize',
 ];
 
-const extToRe = ext => {
+const extToRegExp = ext => {
   if (!ext) return;
   const escaped = `.${ext}$`.replace(/\./g, '\\.');
   return new RegExp(escaped, 'i');
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const safeWrapInFile = (plugin, key) => {
 };
 
 const promisifyMethod = (plugin, key) => {
-  const fn = plugin[key];
+  let fn = plugin[key];
   if (typeof fn !== 'function') return;
   if (fn.length === 1) return;
 
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ module.exports = plugin => {
   });
 
   plugin.pattern = plugin.pattern ||
-    extToRe(plugin.extension) ||
+    extToRegExp(plugin.extension) ||
     /.^/; // never matches
 
   if (plugin.compileStatic) {
     plugin.staticPattern = plugin.staticPattern ||
-      extToRe(plugin.staticExtension) ||
+      extToRegExp(plugin.staticExtension) ||
       plugin.pattern;
   }