diff --git a/src/caosdb/utils/caosdb_admin.py b/src/caosdb/utils/caosdb_admin.py
index e1253d30212f124fa07bf3dbcd2365a1e05abfdd..46ca9b1baaf66e3380af342d3c0e8e3a489b21e7 100755
--- a/src/caosdb/utils/caosdb_admin.py
+++ b/src/caosdb/utils/caosdb_admin.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from argparse import ArgumentParser, RawDescriptionHelpFormatter
 
 import caosdb as db
 from caosdb import administration as admin
+from caosdb.exceptions import ClientErrorException
 
 __all__ = []
 __version__ = 0.3
@@ -119,8 +120,11 @@ def do_create_user(args):
 
     if args.ask_password is True:
         password = _promt_for_pw()
-    admin._insert_user(name=args.user_name,
-                       email=args.user_email, password=password)
+    try:
+        admin._insert_user(name=args.user_name,
+                           email=args.user_email, password=password)
+    except ClientErrorException as e:
+        print(e.msg)
 
 
 def do_activate_user(args):