diff --git a/supervisor/events.py b/supervisor/events.py
index a9b0f181f..07d006ac6 100644
--- a/supervisor/events.py
+++ b/supervisor/events.py
@@ -174,6 +174,15 @@ def payload(self):
 class ProcessGroupAddedEvent(ProcessGroupEvent):
     pass
 
+class AddProcessGroupFailedEvent(ProcessGroupEvent):
+    def __init__(self, group, err = None):
+        super().__init__(group)
+        self.err = err
+
+    def payload(self):
+        payload = super().payload()
+        return payload+'error:%s\n' % self.err
+
 class ProcessGroupRemovedEvent(ProcessGroupEvent):
     pass
 
diff --git a/supervisor/supervisord.py b/supervisor/supervisord.py
index 0a4f3e697..d0db700c3 100755
--- a/supervisor/supervisord.py
+++ b/supervisor/supervisord.py
@@ -114,7 +114,12 @@ def add_process_group(self, config):
         name = config.name
         if name not in self.process_groups:
             config.after_setuid()
-            self.process_groups[name] = config.make_group()
+            try:
+                self.process_groups[name] = config.make_group()
+            except BaseException as why:
+                self.options.logger.warn('Unable to add group %s: %s' % (name, why))
+                events.notify(events.AddProcessGroupFailedEvent(name, why))
+                return False
             events.notify(events.ProcessGroupAddedEvent(name))
             return True
         return False
diff --git a/supervisor/tests/test_supervisord.py b/supervisor/tests/test_supervisord.py
index 4099bba6c..549a16a01 100644
--- a/supervisor/tests/test_supervisord.py
+++ b/supervisor/tests/test_supervisord.py
@@ -834,3 +834,19 @@ def callback(event):
         self.assertEqual(supervisord.ticks[3600], 3600)
         self.assertEqual(len(L), 6)
         self.assertEqual(L[-1].__class__, events.Tick3600Event)
+
+    def test_add_failing_process_group_wont_crush(self):
+        options = DummyOptions()
+        supervisord = self._makeOne(options)
+
+        pconfig = DummyPConfig(options, 'process1', '/bin/foo', '/tmp')
+        group = DummyPGroupConfig(options, 'group1', pconfigs=[pconfig])
+        def throw():
+            raise Exception()
+        group.make_group = throw
+
+        # set up supervisord with an active configuration of group1 and group2
+        supervisord.options.process_group_configs = [group]
+        self.assertFalse(supervisord.add_process_group(group))
+        self.assertTrue(not supervisord.process_groups)
+        self.assertTrue(str(options.logger.data[0]).startswith('Unable to add group'))
\ No newline at end of file