diff --git a/plugins/override_opts.erl b/plugins/override_opts.erl
index 1b83fb6a1..1cdeca662 100644
--- a/plugins/override_opts.erl
+++ b/plugins/override_opts.erl
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ preprocess(Config, _Dirs) ->
 		  Val -> Val
 	      end,
     Config2 = rebar_config:set_xconf(Config, top_overrides, TopOverrides),
-    Config3 = case rebar_app_utils:load_app_file(Config2, _Dirs) of
+    try
+        Config3 = case rebar_app_utils:load_app_file(Config2, _Dirs) of
 		  {ok, C, AppName, _AppData} ->
 		      lists:foldl(fun({Type, AppName2, Opts}, Conf1) when
 					    AppName2 == AppName ->
@@ -28,5 +29,8 @@ preprocess(Config, _Dirs) ->
 				  end, C, TopOverrides);
 		  _ ->
 		      Config2
-    end,
-    {ok, Config3, []}.
+	end,
+	{ok, Config3, []}
+    catch
+        error:badarg -> {ok, Config2, []}
+    end.