diff --git a/modules/device.py b/modules/device.py
index ee54891..76a41a7 100644
--- a/modules/device.py
+++ b/modules/device.py
@@ -146,11 +146,11 @@ class PhysicalDevice():
         """ Get Zabbix templates from the device context """
         if "zabbix" not in self.config_context:
             e = (f"Host {self.name}: Key 'zabbix' not found in config "
-                 "context for template")
+                 "context for template lookup")
             raise TemplateError(e)
         if "templates" not in self.config_context["zabbix"]:
             e = (f"Host {self.name}: Key 'templates' not found in config "
-                 "context 'zabbix' for template host")
+                 "context 'zabbix' for template lookup")
             raise TemplateError(e)
         return self.config_context["zabbix"]["templates"]
 
diff --git a/netbox_zabbix_sync.py b/netbox_zabbix_sync.py
index bcf4558..cfe95fb 100755
--- a/netbox_zabbix_sync.py
+++ b/netbox_zabbix_sync.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import logging
 import argparse
 from os import environ, path, sys
 from pynetbox import api
+from pynetbox.core.query import RequestError as NBRequestError
+from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError as RequestsConnectionError
 from zabbix_utils import ZabbixAPI, APIRequestError, ProcessingError
 from modules.device import PhysicalDevice
 from modules.virtual_machine import VirtualMachine
@@ -82,7 +84,15 @@ def main(arguments):
     allowed_objects = ["location", "role", "manufacturer", "region",
                         "site", "site_group", "tenant", "tenant_group"]
     # Create API call to get all custom fields which are on the device objects
-    device_cfs = netbox.extras.custom_fields.filter(type="text", content_type_id=23)
+    try:
+        device_cfs = list(netbox.extras.custom_fields.filter(type="text", content_type_id=23))
+    except RequestsConnectionError:
+        logger.error(f"Unable to connect to Netbox with URL {netbox_host}."
+                     " Please check the URL and status of Netbox.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except NBRequestError as e:
+        logger.error(f"Netbox error: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)
     for cf in device_cfs:
         allowed_objects.append(cf.name)
     for hg_object in hg_objects: