diff --git a/src/cryptobox/core/settings.py b/src/cryptobox/core/settings.py
index 821df8a..8b5537d 100644
--- a/src/cryptobox/core/settings.py
+++ b/src/cryptobox/core/settings.py
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ class CryptoBoxSettings:
             else: 
                 raise CBConfigUnavailableError(
                         "failed to load the config file: %s" % config_file)
-        except IOError, err_msgg:
+        except IOError, err_msg:
             raise CBConfigUnavailableError(
                     "unable to open the config file (%s): %s" % \
                             (config_file, err_msg))