diff --git a/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py b/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
index 644b87f6..6de16dc3 100644
--- a/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
+++ b/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
@@ -418,14 +418,17 @@ def get_gconf_http_proxy ():
         import gconf
     except ImportError:
         return None
-    client = gconf.client_get_default()
-    if client.get_bool("/system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy"):
-        host = client.get_string("/system/http_proxy/host")
-        port = client.get_int("/system/http_proxy/port")
-        if host:
-            if not port:
-                port = 8080
-            return "%s:%d" % (host, port)
+    try:
+        client = gconf.client_get_default()
+        if client.get_bool("/system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy"):
+            host = client.get_string("/system/http_proxy/host")
+            port = client.get_int("/system/http_proxy/port")
+            if host:
+                if not port:
+                    port = 8080
+                return "%s:%d" % (host, port)
+    except StandardError, msg:
+        log.info(LOG_CHECK, "error getting HTTP proxy from gconf: %s", msg)
     return None
 
 
@@ -435,13 +438,16 @@ def get_gconf_ftp_proxy ():
         import gconf
     except ImportError:
         return None
-    client = gconf.client_get_default()
-    host = client.get_string("/system/proxy/ftp_host")
-    port = client.get_int("/system/proxy/ftp_port")
-    if host:
-        if not port:
-            port = 8080
-        return "%s:%d" % (host, port)
+    try:
+        client = gconf.client_get_default()
+        host = client.get_string("/system/proxy/ftp_host")
+        port = client.get_int("/system/proxy/ftp_port")
+        if host:
+            if not port:
+                port = 8080
+            return "%s:%d" % (host, port)
+    except StandardError, msg:
+        log.info(LOG_CHECK, "error getting FTP proxy from gconf: %s", msg)
     return None
 
 
@@ -454,8 +460,8 @@ def get_kde_http_proxy ():
     try:
         data = read_kioslaverc(config_dir)
         return data.get("http_proxy")
-    except:
-        pass
+    except StandardError, msg:
+        log.info(LOG_CHECK, "error getting HTTP proxy from KDE: %s", msg)
 
 
 def get_kde_ftp_proxy ():
@@ -467,8 +473,8 @@ def get_kde_ftp_proxy ():
     try:
         data = read_kioslaverc(config_dir)
         return data.get("ftp_proxy")
-    except:
-        pass
+    except StandardError, msg:
+        log.info(LOG_CHECK, "error getting FTP proxy from KDE: %s", msg)
 
 
 def get_kde_config_dir ():