diff --git a/lbrynet/core/LBRYWallet.py b/lbrynet/core/LBRYWallet.py
index eea9ef915..7f7dd7e88 100644
--- a/lbrynet/core/LBRYWallet.py
+++ b/lbrynet/core/LBRYWallet.py
@@ -726,7 +726,11 @@ class LBRYcrdWallet(LBRYWallet):
         tries = 0
         try:
             rpc_conn = self._get_rpc_conn()
-            rpc_conn.getinfo()
+            try:
+                rpc_conn.getinfo()
+            except ValueError:
+                log.exception('Failed to get rpc info. Rethrowing with a hopefully more useful error message')
+                raise Exception('Failed to get rpc info from lbrycrdd.  Try restarting lbrycrdd') 
             log.info("lbrycrdd was already running when LBRYcrdWallet was started.")
             return
         except (socket.error, JSONRPCException):
@@ -1267,4 +1271,4 @@ class LBRYcrdAddressQueryHandler(object):
             log.warning("Expected a request for an address, but did not receive one")
             return defer.fail(Failure(ValueError("Expected but did not receive an address request")))
         else:
-            return defer.succeed({})
\ No newline at end of file
+            return defer.succeed({})