diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_setup_rules.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_setup_rules.cpp
index 5addcef628..a0e60c24f8 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_setup_rules.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/panel_setup_rules.cpp
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ bool PANEL_SETUP_RULES::TransferDataFromWindow()
     {
         if( m_textEditor->SaveFile( rulesFilepath ) )
         {
-            m_frame->GetBoard()->GetDesignSettings().m_DRCEngine->LoadRules( rulesFilepath );
+            m_frame->GetBoard()->GetDesignSettings().m_DRCEngine->InitEngine( rulesFilepath );
             return true;
         }
     }
diff --git a/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.cpp b/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.cpp
index 322042eaa3..6f952cd179 100644
--- a/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.cpp
@@ -263,31 +263,25 @@ static wxString formatConstraint( const DRC_CONSTRAINT& constraint )
 /**
  * @throws PARSE_ERROR
  */
-void DRC_ENGINE::LoadRules( const wxFileName& aPath )
+void DRC_ENGINE::loadRules( const wxFileName& aPath )
 {
     if( aPath.FileExists() )
     {
-        m_ruleConditions.clear();
-        m_rules.clear();
+        std::vector<DRC_RULE*> rules;
 
         FILE* fp = wxFopen( aPath.GetFullPath(), wxT( "rt" ) );
 
         if( fp )
         {
-            try
-            {
-                DRC_RULES_PARSER parser( fp, aPath.GetFullPath() );
-                parser.Parse( m_rules, m_reporter );
-            }
-            catch( PARSE_ERROR& pe )
-            {
-                // Don't leave possibly malformed stuff around for us to trip over
-                m_ruleConditions.clear();
-                m_rules.clear();
-
-                throw pe;
-            }
+            DRC_RULES_PARSER parser( fp, aPath.GetFullPath() );
+            parser.Parse( rules, m_reporter );
         }
+
+        // Copy the rules into the member variable afterwards so that if Parse() throws then
+        // the possibly malformed rules won't contaminate the current ruleset.
+
+        for( DRC_RULE* rule : rules )
+            m_rules.push_back( rule );
     }
 }
 
@@ -381,8 +375,11 @@ void DRC_ENGINE::InitEngine( const wxFileName& aRulePath )
         provider->SetDRCEngine( this );
     }
 
-    LoadRules( aRulePath );
+    m_ruleConditions.clear();
+    m_rules.clear();
+
     loadImplicitRules();
+    loadRules( aRulePath );
 
     CompileRules();
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.h b/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.h
index 721c6259fd..21be547edc 100644
--- a/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.h
+++ b/pcbnew/drc/drc_engine.h
@@ -117,13 +117,6 @@ public:
      */
     void SetLogReporter( REPORTER* aReporter ) { m_reporter = aReporter; }
 
-    /**
-     * Loads and parses a rule set from an sexpr text file.
-     *
-     * @throws PARSE_ERROR
-     */
-    void LoadRules( const wxFileName& aPath );
-
     /**
      * Initializes the DRC engine.
      *
@@ -177,6 +170,13 @@ private:
         m_rules.push_back(rule);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Loads and parses a rule set from an sexpr text file.
+     *
+     * @throws PARSE_ERROR
+     */
+    void loadRules( const wxFileName& aPath );
+
     void freeCompiledRules();
 
     struct CONSTRAINT_WITH_CONDITIONS