diff --git a/src/model/import/XMLImportEngine.cpp b/src/model/import/XMLImportEngine.cpp
index 018b551..956fd1c 100644
--- a/src/model/import/XMLImportEngine.cpp
+++ b/src/model/import/XMLImportEngine.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ void XMLImportEngine::LoadAccount(const QXmlAttributes& attrs)
 	    _accounts[ac.id] = _user->GetAccountIdFromAccountNumber(ac.number);
 	    return;
 	}
-	catch (User::AccountNotFound)
+	catch (User::AccountNotFound e)
 	{
 	}
     }
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ void XMLImportEngine::LoadAccount(const QXmlAttributes& attrs)
 	    _accounts[ac.id] = _user->GetAccountId(ac.name);
 	    return;
 	}
-	catch (User::AccountNotFound)
+	catch (User::AccountNotFound e)
 	{
 	}
     }
@@ -187,13 +187,15 @@ void XMLImportEngine::LoadCategory(const QXmlAttributes& attrs)
 
     UNESCAPE_CHARS(cat.name);
 
-    int catId = _user->GetCategoryId(name);
-
-    if (catId)
+    try
     {
+	int catId = _user->GetCategoryId(name);
+
 	_categories[id] = catId;
 	return;
     }
+    catch(User::CategoryNotFound e)
+    {}
 
     _categories[id] = --unknownCategory;
     _unresolvedCategories.push_back(cat);
diff --git a/src/view/PreferencesPanel.cpp b/src/view/PreferencesPanel.cpp
index bcf470a..299d26e 100644
--- a/src/view/PreferencesPanel.cpp
+++ b/src/view/PreferencesPanel.cpp
@@ -450,6 +450,8 @@ void PreferencesPanel::InitLanguage(User* user)
     int i, select=0;
     QListWidgetItem* item;
 
+    if (_inModification) return;
+
     _inModification = true;
 
     _language->clear();
@@ -824,14 +826,18 @@ void PreferencesPanel::OnAccountModified(int row, int col)
 
         if (col == ACCOUNT_NAME)
     	{
-    	    new_id = user->GetAccountId(new_account.name);
-    	    if (new_id != 0 && new_id != new_account.id)
-    	    {
-		QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Account ")+new_account.name+_(" already exists"));
-    		_accountsGrid->setItem(row, ACCOUNT_NAME, new QTableWidgetItem(user->_accounts[row].name));
-    		_inModification = false;
-    		return ;
-    	    }
+	    try {
+		new_id = user->GetAccountId(new_account.name);
+		if (new_id != new_account.id)
+		{
+		    QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Account ")+new_account.name+_(" already exists"));
+		    _accountsGrid->setItem(row, ACCOUNT_NAME, new QTableWidgetItem(user->_accounts[row].name));
+		    _inModification = false;
+		    return ;
+		}
+	    }
+	    catch(User::AccountNotFound e)
+	    {}
     	}
 
         _kiss->UpdateAccount(new_account);
@@ -845,12 +851,14 @@ void PreferencesPanel::OnAccountModified(int row, int col)
             return ;
     	}
 
-        if (user->GetAccountId(new_account.name) != 0)
-    	{
+	try {
+	    user->GetAccountId(new_account.name);
 	    QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Account ")+new_account.name+_(" already exists"));
             _inModification = false;
             return ;
     	}
+	catch (User::AccountNotFound e)
+	{}
 
 	new_account._default = false;
     	new_account.shared = false;
@@ -976,14 +984,18 @@ void PreferencesPanel::OnCategoryModified(int row, int col)
 	new_cat.font = old_cat.font;
 	new_cat.parent = old_cat.parent;
 
-    	new_id = user->GetCategoryId(new_cat.name);
-        if (new_id != 0 && new_id != new_cat.id)
-    	{
-	    QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Category ")+new_cat.name+_(" already exists"));
-            _categoriesGrid->setItem(row, CATEGORY_NAME, new QTableWidgetItem(_(user->_categories[row].name.toStdString().c_str())));
-            _inModification = false;
-            return ;
-    	}
+	try {
+	    new_id = user->GetCategoryId(new_cat.name);
+	    if (new_id != new_cat.id)
+	    {
+		QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Category ")+new_cat.name+_(" already exists"));
+		_categoriesGrid->setItem(row, CATEGORY_NAME, new QTableWidgetItem(_(user->_categories[row].name.toStdString().c_str())));
+		_inModification = false;
+		return ;
+	    }
+	}
+	catch(User::CategoryNotFound e)
+	{}
 
         _kiss->UpdateCategory(new_cat);
     }
@@ -996,12 +1008,14 @@ void PreferencesPanel::OnCategoryModified(int row, int col)
             return ;
     	}
       
-        if (user->GetCategoryId(new_cat.name) != 0)
-    	{
+	try {
+	    user->GetCategoryId(new_cat.name);
 	    QMessageBox::critical(0, _("Error"), _("Category ")+new_cat.name+_(" already exists"));
             _inModification = false;
             return ;
     	}
+	catch(User::CategoryNotFound e)
+	{}
 	
     	new_cat.fix_cost = false;
 
@@ -1069,11 +1083,11 @@ void PreferencesPanel::OnOperationOrderChange(int index)
 
 void PreferencesPanel::OnLanguageChange(int index)
 {
+    if (_inModification) return;
+
     int language = SupportedLanguages::languages[index].language;
     QString name_lang = SupportedLanguages::languages[index].name;
 
-    if (_inModification) return;
-
     if (_wxUI->SetLanguage(name_lang) || language == SupportedLanguages::English)
     {
         _wxUI->NeedReload();