diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index 641a839810..ece88fce93 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@ class CookerParser(object):
             self.shutdown(clean=False)
             bb.fatal('Unable to parse %s: %s' %
                      (exc.recipe, bb.exceptions.to_string(exc.realexception)))
-        except bb.parse.ParseError as exc:
+        except (bb.parse.ParseError, bb.data_smart.ExpansionError) as exc:
             bb.fatal(str(exc))
         except SyntaxError as exc:
             logger.error('Unable to parse %s', exc.recipe)