diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/command-runner.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/command-runner.ts
index 560e34a7b44c..a44c4f1a0755 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/command-runner.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/command-runner.ts
@@ -182,9 +182,20 @@ export async function runCommand(
     return 1;
   }
 
-  const parsedOptions = parser.parseArguments(args, description.options);
-  Command.setCommandMap(commandMap);
-  const command = new description.impl({ workspace }, description, logger);
-
-  return await command.validateAndRun(parsedOptions);
+  try {
+    const parsedOptions = parser.parseArguments(args, description.options);
+    Command.setCommandMap(commandMap);
+    const command = new description.impl({ workspace }, description, logger);
+
+    return await command.validateAndRun(parsedOptions);
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof parser.ParseArgumentException) {
+      logger.fatal('Cannot parse arguments. See below for the reasons.');
+      logger.fatal('    ' + e.comments.join('\n    '));
+
+      return 1;
+    } else {
+      throw e;
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
index baa5ec5f0bb4..91082430d3b6 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { Arguments, Option, OptionType, Value } from './interface';
 
 export class ParseArgumentException extends BaseException {
   constructor(
-    comments: string[],
+    public readonly comments: string[],
     public readonly parsed: Arguments,
     public readonly ignored: string[],
   ) {