diff --git a/cvpcb/cvframe.cpp b/cvpcb/cvframe.cpp
index 330b1865b4..b0e57e6ad0 100644
--- a/cvpcb/cvframe.cpp
+++ b/cvpcb/cvframe.cpp
@@ -773,8 +773,13 @@ int CVPCB_MAINFRAME::ReadSchematicNetlist()
         netlistReader = NETLIST_READER::GetNetlistReader( &m_netlist,
                                                           m_NetlistFileName.GetFullPath(),
                                                           compFootprintLinkFileName );
-        std::auto_ptr< NETLIST_READER > nlr( netlistReader );
-        netlistReader->LoadNetlist();
+        if( netlistReader != NULL )
+        {
+            std::auto_ptr< NETLIST_READER > nlr( netlistReader );
+            netlistReader->LoadNetlist();
+        }
+        else
+            wxMessageBox( _( "Unknown netlist format" ), wxEmptyString, wxOK | wxICON_ERROR );
     }
     catch( IO_ERROR& ioe )
     {
diff --git a/pcbnew/legacy_netlist_reader.cpp b/pcbnew/legacy_netlist_reader.cpp
index ac876d3051..7bd95830e2 100644
--- a/pcbnew/legacy_netlist_reader.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/legacy_netlist_reader.cpp
@@ -159,15 +159,12 @@ COMPONENT* LEGACY_NETLIST_READER::loadComponent( char* aText ) throw( PARSE_ERRO
     value = FROM_UTF8( text );
 
     // Read component name (fifth word) {Lib=C}
-    if( ( text = strtok( NULL, " ()\t\n" ) ) == NULL )
+    // This is an optional field (a comment), which does not always exists
+    if( ( text = strtok( NULL, " ()\t\n" ) ) != NULL )
     {
-        msg = _( "Cannot parse name comment in component section of netlist." );
-        THROW_PARSE_ERROR( msg, m_lineReader->GetSource(), aText, m_lineReader->LineNumber(),
-                           m_lineReader->Length() );
+        name = FROM_UTF8( text ).AfterFirst( wxChar( '=' ) ).BeforeLast( wxChar( '}' ) );
     }
 
-    name = FROM_UTF8( text ).AfterFirst( wxChar( '=' ) ).BeforeLast( wxChar( '}' ) );
-
     COMPONENT* component = new COMPONENT( footprintName, reference, value, timeStamp );
     component->SetName( name );
     m_netlist->AddComponent( component );
@@ -213,7 +210,7 @@ void LEGACY_NETLIST_READER::loadFootprintFilters() throw( IO_ERROR, PARSE_ERROR
     wxArrayString filters;
     wxString      cmpRef;
     char*         line;
-    COMPONENT*    component;
+    COMPONENT*    component = NULL;     // Suppress compil warning
 
     while( ( line = m_lineReader->ReadLine() ) != NULL )
     {
diff --git a/pcbnew/netlist_reader.cpp b/pcbnew/netlist_reader.cpp
index 8f127e2d2a..3472164b35 100644
--- a/pcbnew/netlist_reader.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/netlist_reader.cpp
@@ -293,10 +293,14 @@ NETLIST_READER::~NETLIST_READER()
 
 NETLIST_READER::NETLIST_FILE_T NETLIST_READER::GuessNetlistFileType( LINE_READER* aLineReader )
 {
-    wxRegEx reOrcad( wxT( "(?i)[ ]*\\({EESchema[ \t]+Netlist[ \t]+" ), wxRE_ADVANCED );
+    // Orcad Pcb2 netlist format starts by "( {", followed by an unknown comment,
+    // depending on the tool which created the file
+    wxRegEx reOrcad( wxT( "(?i)[ ]*\\([ \t]+{+" ), wxRE_ADVANCED );
     wxASSERT( reOrcad.IsValid() );
+    // Our legacy netlist format starts by "# EESchema Netlist "
     wxRegEx reLegacy( wxT( "(?i)#[ \t]+EESchema[ \t]+Netlist[ \t]+" ), wxRE_ADVANCED );
     wxASSERT( reLegacy.IsValid() );
+    // Our new netlist format starts by "(export (version "
     wxRegEx reKicad( wxT( "[ ]*\\(export[ ]+" ), wxRE_ADVANCED );
     wxASSERT( reKicad.IsValid() );
 
@@ -306,12 +310,12 @@ NETLIST_READER::NETLIST_FILE_T NETLIST_READER::GuessNetlistFileType( LINE_READER
     {
         line = FROM_UTF8( aLineReader->Line() );
 
-        if( reOrcad.Matches( line ) )
-            return ORCAD;
-        else if( reLegacy.Matches( line ) )
+        if( reLegacy.Matches( line ) )
             return LEGACY;
         else if( reKicad.Matches( line ) )
             return KICAD;
+        else if( reOrcad.Matches( line ) )
+            return ORCAD;
     }
 
     return UNKNOWN;