diff --git a/incorrect_script.lua b/incorrect_script.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5edce5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/incorrect_script.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-- Serves only to test syntax error message for oct
+
+x = 0;
+x = x + "asdf"
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 29aeef5..add143e 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #define OCT_VERS 5
 #define OCT_INVALID_ARGUMENT 6
 #define OCT_NETWORK_ERROR 7
+#define OCT_LUA_FILE_SYNTAX_ERROR 8
 
 #define OCT_MAX_FILENAME_SIZE 1024
 
@@ -80,6 +81,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Error: network\n");
 		deinitialize_everything();
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	case OCT_LUA_FILE_SYNTAX_ERROR:
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error: given lua file had syntax error\n");
+		deinitialize_everything();
+		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 
 	// initialize SIGINT handler
@@ -216,7 +221,10 @@ int initialize_everything(char* lua_file) {
 	luaL_openlibs(L);
 	oct_tb_initialize_lua(L);
 	oct_log_init_lua(L);
-	if (luaL_dofile(L, lua_file)) return OCT_LUA_FILE_NOT_FOUND;
+	if (luaL_dofile(L, lua_file)) {
+		OCT_LOG_ERROR("%s", luaL_checkstring(L, -1));
+		return OCT_LUA_FILE_SYNTAX_ERROR;
+	}
 	OCT_LOG_INFO("Begin running oct_init()");
 	lua_getglobal(L, "oct_init");
 	lua_call(L, 0, 2);