diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 889fb57b8..04b244e74 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+2007-02-06  Brian Matherly  <brian@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/docgen/PdfDoc.py: provide a more useful error when reportlab crashes
+
 2007-02-06  Douglas Blank  <dblank@cs.brynmawr.edu>
 	* src/ReportBase/_ReportDialog.py: 0000905: Typo in catching exceptions in 
 	  buggy reports
diff --git a/src/docgen/PdfDoc.py b/src/docgen/PdfDoc.py
index 6edef3226..653d1bc69 100644
--- a/src/docgen/PdfDoc.py
+++ b/src/docgen/PdfDoc.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ try:
     import reportlab.graphics.shapes
     import reportlab.lib.styles
     from reportlab.pdfbase.pdfmetrics import *
+    from reportlab.platypus.doctemplate import LayoutError
 
     for faceName in reportlab.pdfbase.pdfmetrics.standardFonts:
         reportlab.pdfbase.pdfmetrics.registerTypeFace(
@@ -185,6 +186,18 @@ class PdfDoc(BaseDoc.BaseDoc):
         except IOError,msg:
             errmsg = "%s\n%s" % (_("Could not create %s") % self.filename, msg)
             raise Errors.ReportError(errmsg)
+        except LayoutError,msg:
+            if str(msg).rfind("too large on page") > -1:
+                errmsg = "Reportlab is unable to layout your report. "       + \
+                         "This is probably because you have some text that " + \
+                         "is too large to fit on one page or in one cell. "  + \
+                         "Try changing some report options or use a "        + \
+                         "different output format."
+            else:
+                errmsg = "Reportlab is unable to layout your report. "       + \
+                         "Try changing some report options or use a "        + \
+                         "different output format."
+            raise Errors.ReportError(errmsg)
 
         if self.print_req:
             apptype = 'application/pdf'