diff --git a/utils/kicad2step/pcb/kicadmodule.cpp b/utils/kicad2step/pcb/kicadmodule.cpp
index 0b3807bb4d..ef5a39a25f 100644
--- a/utils/kicad2step/pcb/kicadmodule.cpp
+++ b/utils/kicad2step/pcb/kicadmodule.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Cirilo Bernardo <cirilo.bernardo@gmail.com>
+ * Copyright  2018 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -85,22 +86,33 @@ bool KICADMODULE::Read( SEXPR::SEXPR* aEntry )
         for( size_t i = 2; i < nc && result; ++i )
         {
             child = aEntry->GetChild( i );
+            std::string symname;
 
-            // skip the optional 'locked' attribute; due to the vagaries of the
+            // skip the optional locked and/or placed attributes; due to the vagaries of the
             // kicad version of sexpr, the attribute may be a Symbol or a String
-            if( i <= 2 && ( child->IsSymbol() || child->IsString() ) )
-                continue;
-
-            if( !child->IsList() )
+            if( child->IsSymbol() || child->IsString() )
             {
-                std::ostringstream ostr;
-                ostr << "* corrupt module in PCB file at line ";
-                ostr << child->GetLineNumber() << "\n";
-                wxLogMessage( "%s\n", ostr.str().c_str() );
+                if( child->IsSymbol() )
+                    symname = child->GetSymbol();
+                else if( child->IsString() )
+                    symname = child->GetString();
+
+                if( symname == "locked" || symname == "placed" )
+                    continue;
+
+                wxLogMessage( "* module descr in PCB file at line %d: unexpected keyword '%s'\n",
+                             child->GetLineNumber(), symname.c_str() );
                 return false;
             }
 
-            std::string symname( child->GetChild( 0 )->GetSymbol() );
+            if( !child->IsList() )
+            {
+                wxLogMessage( "* corrupt module in PCB file at line %d\n",
+                              child->GetLineNumber() );
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            symname = child->GetChild( 0 )->GetSymbol();
 
             if( symname == "layer" )
                 result = result && parseLayer( child );