diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configfiles.py b/qutebrowser/config/configfiles.py
index 82f90db76..05ed23e60 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configfiles.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configfiles.py
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ class ConfigAPI:
         except urlmatch.ParseError as e:
             text = "While {} '{}' and parsing pattern".format(action, name)
             self.errors.append(configexc.ConfigErrorDesc(text, e))
+        except keyutils.KeyParseError as e:
+            text = "While {} '{}' and parsing key".format(action, name)
+            self.errors.append(configexc.ConfigErrorDesc(text, e))
 
     def finalize(self):
         """Do work which needs to be done after reading config.py."""
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py b/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
index c902bb42d..37b565374 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_configfiles.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from PyQt5.QtCore import QSettings
 from qutebrowser.config import (config, configfiles, configexc, configdata,
                                 configtypes)
 from qutebrowser.utils import utils, usertypes, urlmatch
+from qutebrowser.keyinput import keyutils
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -699,6 +700,20 @@ class TestConfigPy:
         message = "'ConfigAPI' object has no attribute 'val'"
         assert str(error.exception) == message
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('line', [
+        'config.bind("<blub>", "nop")',
+        'config.bind("\U00010000", "nop")',
+        'config.unbind("<blub>")',
+        'config.unbind("\U00010000")',
+    ])
+    def test_invalid_keys(self, confpy, line):
+        confpy.write(line)
+        error = confpy.read(error=True)
+        assert error.text.endswith("and parsing key")
+        assert isinstance(error.exception, keyutils.KeyParseError)
+        assert str(error.exception).startswith("Could not parse")
+        assert str(error.exception).endswith("Got unknown key!")
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize('line', ["c.foo = 42", "config.set('foo', 42)"])
     def test_config_error(self, confpy, line):
         confpy.write(line)