diff --git a/nw/gui/winmain.py b/nw/gui/winmain.py
index cf38e902..712f08c8 100644
--- a/nw/gui/winmain.py
+++ b/nw/gui/winmain.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import logging
 import nw
 
 from os                   import path
-from PyQt5.QtWidgets      import QWidget, QMainWindow, QVBoxLayout, QFrame, QSplitter, QFileDialog, QStackedWidget, QShortcut
+from PyQt5.QtWidgets      import QWidget, QMainWindow, QVBoxLayout, QFrame, QSplitter, QFileDialog, QStackedWidget, QShortcut, QMessageBox
 from PyQt5.QtGui          import QIcon
 from PyQt5.QtCore         import Qt
 
@@ -97,6 +97,34 @@ class GuiMain(QMainWindow):
 
         return
 
+    def makeAlert(self, theMessage, theLevel):
+        """Alert both the user and the logger at the same time. Message can be either a string or an
+        array of strings. Severity level is 0 = info, 1 = warning, and 2 = error.
+        """
+
+        if isinstance(theMessage, list):
+            popMsg = "<br>".join(theMessage)
+            logMsg = theMessage
+        else:
+            popMsg = theMessage
+            logMsg = [theMessage]
+
+        msgBox = QMessageBox()
+        if theLevel == 0:
+            for msgLine in logMsg:
+                logger.info(msgLine)
+            msgBox.information(self, "Information", popMsg)
+        elif theLevel == 1:
+            for msgLine in logMsg:
+                logger.warning(msgLine)
+            msgBox.warning(self, "Warning", popMsg)
+        elif theLevel == 2:
+            for msgLine in logMsg:
+                logger.error(msgLine)
+            msgBox.critical(self, "Error", popMsg)
+
+        return
+
     ##
     #  Project Actions
     ##
diff --git a/nw/project/document.py b/nw/project/document.py
index 483a3377..04854275 100644
--- a/nw/project/document.py
+++ b/nw/project/document.py
@@ -45,8 +45,12 @@ class NWDoc():
         docPath = path.join(dataDir, docFile)
 
         if path.isfile(docPath):
-            with open(docPath,mode="r") as inFile:
-                theDoc = inFile.read()
+            try:
+                with open(docPath,mode="r") as inFile:
+                    theDoc = inFile.read()
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.theParent.makeAlert(["Failed to open document file.",str(e)],2)
+                return ""
         else:
             logger.debug("The requested document does not exist.")
             return ""
@@ -75,8 +79,12 @@ class NWDoc():
         if path.isfile(docBack): rename(docBack,docTemp)
         if path.isfile(docPath): rename(docPath,docBack)
 
-        with open(docPath,mode="w") as outFile:
-            outFile.write(docText)
+        try:
+            with open(docPath,mode="w") as outFile:
+                outFile.write(docText)
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.theParent.makeAlert(["Could not save document.",str(e)],2)
+            return False
 
         if path.isfile(docTemp): unlink(docTemp)
 
diff --git a/nw/project/project.py b/nw/project/project.py
index 91ddd01e..992c969b 100644
--- a/nw/project/project.py
+++ b/nw/project/project.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class NWProject():
         if not path.isfile(fileName):
             fileName = path.join(fileName, "nwProject.nwx")
             if not path.isfile(fileName):
-                logger.error("File not found: %s" % fileName)
+                self.theParent.makeAlert("File not found: %s" % fileName,2)
                 return False
 
         self.clearProject()
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class NWProject():
         logger.verbose("File version is %s" % fileVersion)
 
         if not nwxRoot == "novelWriterXML" or not fileVersion == "1.0":
-            logger.error("Project file does not appear to be a novelWriterXML file version 1.0")
+            self.theParent.makeAlert("Project file does not appear to be a novelWriterXML file version 1.0",2)
             return False
 
         for xChild in xRoot:
@@ -192,15 +192,15 @@ class NWProject():
     def saveProject(self):
 
         if self.projPath is None:
-            logger.error("Project path not set, cannot save.")
+            self.theParent.makeAlert("Project path not set, cannot save.",2)
             return False
 
         if not path.isdir(self.projPath):
             try:
                 mkdir(self.projPath)
                 logger.info("Created folder %s" % self.projPath)
-            except:
-                logger.error("Could not create folder %s" % self.projPath)
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.theParent.makeAlert(["Could not create folder.",str(e)],2)
                 return False
 
         logger.debug("Saving project: %s" % self.projPath)
@@ -239,8 +239,7 @@ class NWProject():
                     xml_declaration = True
                 ))
         except Exception as e:
-            logger.error("Failed to save project to %s" % saveFile)
-            logger.error(str(e))
+            self.theParent.makeAlert(["Failed to save project.",str(e)],2)
             return False
 
         self.mainConf.setRecent(self.projPath)