diff --git a/src/filestorage.cpp b/src/filestorage.cpp
--- a/src/filestorage.cpp
+++ b/src/filestorage.cpp
@@ -109,15 +109,20 @@
             productId = iCal.loadedProductId();
         } else {
             if (iCal.exception()) {
-                if (iCal.exception()->code() == Exception::CalVersion1) {
-                    // Expected non vCalendar file, but detected vCalendar
-                    qCDebug(KCALCORE_LOG) << "Fallback to VCalFormat";
+                if ((iCal.exception()->code() == Exception::ParseErrorIcal) ||
+                    (iCal.exception()->code() == Exception::CalVersion1)) {
+                    // Possible vCalendar or invalid iCalendar encountered
+                    qCDebug(KCALCORE_LOG) << d->mFileName
+                                          << " is an invalid iCalendar or possibly a vCalendar.";
+                    qCDebug(KCALCORE_LOG) << "Try to load it as a vCalendar";
                     VCalFormat vCal;
                     success = vCal.load(calendar(), d->mFileName);
                     productId = vCal.loadedProductId();
                     if (!success) {
                         if (vCal.exception()) {
-                            qCWarning(KCALCORE_LOG) << "Exception while importing:" << vCal.exception()->code();
+                            qCWarning(KCALCORE_LOG) << d->mFileName
+                                                    << " is not a valid vCalendar file."
+                                                    << " exception code " << vCal.exception()->code();
                         }
                         return false;
                     }
diff --git a/src/icalformat.cpp b/src/icalformat.cpp
--- a/src/icalformat.cpp
+++ b/src/icalformat.cpp
@@ -73,19 +73,24 @@
 
     QFile file(fileName);
     if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
-        qCritical() << "load error";
+        qCritical() << "load error: unable to open " << fileName;
         setException(new Exception(Exception::LoadError));
         return false;
     }
     const QByteArray text = file.readAll().trimmed();
     file.close();
 
-    if (text.isEmpty()) {
-        // empty files are valid
-        return true;
-    } else {
-        return fromRawString(calendar, text, false, fileName);
+    if (!text.isEmpty()) {
+        if (!fromRawString(calendar, text, false, fileName)) {
+            qCWarning(KCALCORE_LOG) << fileName << " is not a valid iCalendar file";
+            setException(new Exception(Exception::ParseErrorIcal));
+            return false;
+        }
     }
+
+    // Note: we consider empty files to be valid
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool ICalFormat::save(const Calendar::Ptr &calendar, const QString &fileName)