diff --git a/src/cpp/algorithm.cpp b/src/cpp/algorithm.cpp
index cf7b01330..8d5190374 100644
--- a/src/cpp/algorithm.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/algorithm.cpp
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ class fixed_step_algorithm::impl
         auto sim = simulators_.find(i);
         if (sim == simulators_.end()) {
             std::ostringstream oss;
-            oss << "Cannot find simulator with reference " << i;
+            oss << "Cannot find simulator with index " << i;
             throw std::out_of_range(oss.str());
         }
         return sim->second;
diff --git a/src/cpp/execution.cpp b/src/cpp/execution.cpp
index f00d4edc1..e0b08b25e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/execution.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/execution.cpp
@@ -281,10 +281,10 @@ class execution::impl
             [=](const auto& var) { return var.causality == causality && var.type == variable.type && var.reference == variable.reference; });
         if (it == variables.end()) {
             std::ostringstream oss;
-            oss << "Cannot find variable with reference " << variable.reference
+            oss << "Problem adding connection: Cannot find variable with reference " << variable.reference
                 << ", causality " << cse::to_text(causality)
                 << " and type " << cse::to_text(variable.type)
-                << " for simulator with reference " << variable.simulator
+                << " for simulator with index " << variable.simulator
                 << " and name " << simulators_.at(variable.simulator)->name();
             throw std::out_of_range(oss.str());
         }
diff --git a/src/cpp/ssp_parser.cpp b/src/cpp/ssp_parser.cpp
index f479a24a6..98fa41def 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ssp_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ssp_parser.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #include "cse/ssp_parser.hpp"
 
 #include "cse/algorithm.hpp"
+#include "cse/error.hpp"
 #include "cse/exception.hpp"
 #include "cse/fmi/fmu.hpp"
 #include "cse/log/logger.hpp"
-#include "cse/error.hpp"
 
 #include <boost/property_tree/ptree.hpp>
 #include <boost/property_tree/xml_parser.hpp>
@@ -252,6 +252,28 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, streamer<std::variant<Ts...>> sv)
     return os;
 }
 
+cse::variable_id get_variable(
+    const std::map<std::string, slave_info>& slaves,
+    const std::string& element,
+    const std::string& connector)
+{
+    auto slaveIt = slaves.find(element);
+    if (slaveIt == slaves.end()) {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << "Cannot find slave: " << element;
+        throw std::out_of_range(oss.str());
+    }
+    auto slave = slaveIt->second;
+    auto vdIt = slave.variables.find(connector);
+    if (vdIt == slave.variables.end()) {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << "Cannot find variable: " << element << ":" << connector;
+        throw std::out_of_range(oss.str());
+    }
+    auto variable = vdIt->second;
+    return {slave.index, variable.type, variable.reference};
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
 
@@ -312,16 +334,23 @@ std::pair<execution, simulator_map> load_ssp(
     }
 
     for (const auto& connection : parser.get_connections()) {
-        cse::variable_id output = {slaves[connection.startElement].index,
-            slaves[connection.startElement].variables[connection.startConnector].type,
-            slaves[connection.startElement].variables[connection.startConnector].reference};
 
-        cse::variable_id input = {slaves[connection.endElement].index,
-            slaves[connection.endElement].variables[connection.endConnector].type,
-            slaves[connection.endElement].variables[connection.endConnector].reference};
+        cse::variable_id output = get_variable(slaves, connection.startElement, connection.startConnector);
+        cse::variable_id input = get_variable(slaves, connection.endElement, connection.endConnector);
 
         const auto c = std::make_shared<scalar_connection>(output, input);
-        execution.add_connection(c);
+        try {
+            execution.add_connection(c);
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            std::ostringstream oss;
+            oss << "Encountered error while adding connection from "
+                << connection.startElement << ":" << connection.startConnector << " to "
+                << connection.endElement << ":" << connection.endConnector
+                << ": " << e.what();
+
+            BOOST_LOG_SEV(log::logger(), log::error) << oss.str();
+            throw std::runtime_error(oss.str());
+        }
     }
 
     return std::make_pair(std::move(execution), std::move(simulatorMap));