diff --git a/modules/img/base/src/xtal_map.cc b/modules/img/base/src/xtal_map.cc
index c64c14868a09ae47f57dd04599fa274898cd5f51..b3bd66155552fb03fb29c2aa7c90c54245c3d932 100644
--- a/modules/img/base/src/xtal_map.cc
+++ b/modules/img/base/src/xtal_map.cc
@@ -149,8 +149,10 @@ void XtalMap::FindSym(const Point& p, int& sym, Point& wp) const
       return;
     }
   }
-  LOG_ERROR("XtalMap::FindSym Internal Error: Could not find symmetry "
-            "equivalent for " << p);
+  std::stringstream ss;
+  ss << "XtalMap::FindSym Internal Error: Could not find symmetry "
+            "equivalent for " << p;
+  throw std::runtime_error(ss.str());
 }