diff --git a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Compiler.Common/BindingRedirectGenerator.cs b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Compiler.Common/BindingRedirectGenerator.cs
index 2a6e6b66d..1227c9866 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Compiler.Common/BindingRedirectGenerator.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Compiler.Common/BindingRedirectGenerator.cs
@@ -179,33 +179,40 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Compiler.Common
 
         private static AssemblyReferenceInfo GetAssemblyInfo(LibraryAsset arg)
         {
-            using (var peReader = new PEReader(File.OpenRead(arg.ResolvedPath)))
+            try
             {
-                var metadataReader = peReader.GetMetadataReader();
-
-                var definition = metadataReader.GetAssemblyDefinition();
-
-                var identity = new AssemblyIdentity(
-                    metadataReader.GetString(definition.Name),
-                    definition.Version,
-                    metadataReader.GetString(definition.Culture),
-                    GetPublicKeyToken(metadataReader.GetBlobBytes(definition.PublicKey))
-                );
-
-                var references = new List<AssemblyIdentity>(metadataReader.AssemblyReferences.Count);
-
-                foreach (var assemblyReferenceHandle in metadataReader.AssemblyReferences)
+                using (var peReader = new PEReader(File.OpenRead(arg.ResolvedPath)))
                 {
-                    var assemblyReference = metadataReader.GetAssemblyReference(assemblyReferenceHandle);
-                    references.Add(new AssemblyIdentity(
-                        metadataReader.GetString(assemblyReference.Name),
-                        assemblyReference.Version,
-                        metadataReader.GetString(assemblyReference.Culture),
-                        GetPublicKeyToken(metadataReader.GetBlobBytes(assemblyReference.PublicKeyOrToken))
-                    ));
-                }
+                    var metadataReader = peReader.GetMetadataReader();
 
-                return new AssemblyReferenceInfo(identity, references.ToArray());
+                    var definition = metadataReader.GetAssemblyDefinition();
+
+                    var identity = new AssemblyIdentity(
+                        metadataReader.GetString(definition.Name),
+                        definition.Version,
+                        metadataReader.GetString(definition.Culture),
+                        GetPublicKeyToken(metadataReader.GetBlobBytes(definition.PublicKey))
+                        );
+
+                    var references = new List<AssemblyIdentity>(metadataReader.AssemblyReferences.Count);
+
+                    foreach (var assemblyReferenceHandle in metadataReader.AssemblyReferences)
+                    {
+                        var assemblyReference = metadataReader.GetAssemblyReference(assemblyReferenceHandle);
+                        references.Add(new AssemblyIdentity(
+                            metadataReader.GetString(assemblyReference.Name),
+                            assemblyReference.Version,
+                            metadataReader.GetString(assemblyReference.Culture),
+                            GetPublicKeyToken(metadataReader.GetBlobBytes(assemblyReference.PublicKeyOrToken))
+                            ));
+                    }
+
+                    return new AssemblyReferenceInfo(identity, references.ToArray());
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidDataException($"Could not read assembly info for {arg.ResolvedPath}", e);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/dotnet/Program.cs b/src/dotnet/Program.cs
index 1ab628b14..4aacebc2b 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/Program.cs
+++ b/src/dotnet/Program.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Cli
             }
             catch (GracefulException e)
             {
-                Console.WriteLine(e.Message.Red().Bold());
+                Console.WriteLine(CommandContext.IsVerbose() ? e.ToString().Red().Bold() : e.Message.Red().Bold());
+
                 return 1;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-build/DotnetProjectBuilder.cs b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-build/DotnetProjectBuilder.cs
index 2bc9e507d..05afba07c 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-build/DotnetProjectBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-build/DotnetProjectBuilder.cs
@@ -116,17 +116,24 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Tools.Build
 
         private void MakeRunnable(ProjectGraphNode graphNode)
         {
-            var runtimeContext = graphNode.ProjectContext.ProjectFile.HasRuntimeOutput(_args.ConfigValue) ?
-                _args.Workspace.GetRuntimeContext(graphNode.ProjectContext, _args.GetRuntimes()) :
-                graphNode.ProjectContext;
+            try
+            {
+                var runtimeContext = graphNode.ProjectContext.ProjectFile.HasRuntimeOutput(_args.ConfigValue) ?
+                    _args.Workspace.GetRuntimeContext(graphNode.ProjectContext, _args.GetRuntimes()) :
+                    graphNode.ProjectContext;
 
-            var outputPaths = runtimeContext.GetOutputPaths(_args.ConfigValue, _args.BuildBasePathValue, _args.OutputValue);
-            var libraryExporter = runtimeContext.CreateExporter(_args.ConfigValue, _args.BuildBasePathValue);
+                var outputPaths = runtimeContext.GetOutputPaths(_args.ConfigValue, _args.BuildBasePathValue, _args.OutputValue);
+                var libraryExporter = runtimeContext.CreateExporter(_args.ConfigValue, _args.BuildBasePathValue);
 
-            CopyCompilationOutput(outputPaths);
+                CopyCompilationOutput(outputPaths);
 
-            var executable = new Executable(runtimeContext, outputPaths, libraryExporter, _args.ConfigValue);
-            executable.MakeCompilationOutputRunnable();
+                var executable = new Executable(runtimeContext, outputPaths, libraryExporter, _args.ConfigValue);
+                executable.MakeCompilationOutputRunnable();
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                throw new Exception($"Failed to make the following project runnable: {graphNode.ProjectContext.GetDisplayName()}", e);
+            }
         }
 
         protected override CompilationResult RunCompile(ProjectGraphNode projectNode)