diff --git a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/datvdemodsink.cpp b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/datvdemodsink.cpp
index 0ba3033e9..7d29a2f8f 100644
--- a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/datvdemodsink.cpp
+++ b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/datvdemodsink.cpp
@@ -1281,16 +1281,28 @@ void DATVDemodSink::feed(const SampleVector::const_iterator& begin, const Sample
 
         qDebug("DATVDemodSink::feed: Settings applied. Standard : %d...", m_settings.m_standard);
         m_blnNeedConfigUpdate = false;
-
-        if(m_settings.m_standard==DATVDemodSettings::DVB_S2)
+        try
         {
-            qDebug("DATVDemodSink::feed: init DVBS-2");
-            InitDATVS2Framework();
+            if(m_settings.m_standard==DATVDemodSettings::DVB_S2)
+            {
+                qDebug("DATVDemodSink::feed: init DVBS-2");
+                InitDATVS2Framework();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                qDebug("DATVDemodSink::feed: init DVBS");
+                InitDATVFramework();
+            }
         }
-        else
+        catch (const std::exception& e)
         {
-            qDebug("DATVDemodSink::feed: init DVBS");
-            InitDATVFramework();
+            // leansdr uses fail() for unrecoverable internal errors.
+            // Convert these into a DATV initialization failure instead of
+            // allowing them to terminate the application.
+            qCritical("DATVDemodSink::feed: DATV framework initialization failed: %s", e.what());
+
+            CleanUpDATVFramework();
+            return;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.cpp b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.cpp
index f2db59ec5..a7bf416b5 100644
--- a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.cpp
+++ b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.cpp
@@ -14,17 +14,23 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License                 //
 // along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.              //
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <string>
+
 #include "framework.h"
 
 namespace leansdr
 {
 
-void fatal(const char *s) {
+[[noreturn]] void fatal(const char *s) {
     perror(s);
+    throw std::runtime_error(std::string("leansdr fatal: ") + s);
 }
 
-void fail(const char *s) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "** %s\n", s);
+[[noreturn]] void fail(const char *s) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "** leansdr fail: %s\n", s);
+    throw std::runtime_error(std::string("leansdr fail: ") + s);
 }
 
 } // leansdr
diff --git a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.h b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.h
index ffa7a5559..0ebb7bd90 100644
--- a/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.h
+++ b/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv/leansdr/framework.h
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
 namespace leansdr
 {
 
-void fatal(const char *s);
-void fail(const char *s);
+[[noreturn]] void fatal(const char *s);
+[[noreturn]] void fail(const char *s);
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // DSP framework