diff --git a/fastq2fasta.py b/fastq2fasta.py
index 394efa9..95af8e0 100755
--- a/fastq2fasta.py
+++ b/fastq2fasta.py
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ def main():
 
 if __name__=='__main__': 
 	t0=datetime.now()
-	main()
+  try:
+  	main()
+  except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    sys.stderr.write("\nCtrl-C pressed!      \n")
+  except IOError as e:
+    sys.stderr.write("I/O error({0}): {1}\n".format(e.errno, e.strerror))
 	dt=datetime.now()-t0
 	sys.stderr.write("#Time elapsed: %s\n" % dt)