diff --git a/generator/mavparse.py b/generator/mavparse.py
index f8ec5d7e11a260a871b388ebf299029a780ec1bf..60fd6d0d2502fbf5e5a7ee702e83ac0a83ff3126 100644
--- a/generator/mavparse.py
+++ b/generator/mavparse.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class MAVField(object):
         elif self.type in ['int64_t', 'uint64_t']:
             return 93372036854775807 + self.wire_offset*63 + i
         else:
-            raise MAVError('unknown type %s' % self.type)
+            raise MAVParseError('unknown type %s' % self.type)
 
     def set_test_value(self):
         '''set a testsuite value for a MAVField'''