diff --git a/writer/HDF5DataFile.cpp b/writer/HDF5DataFile.cpp
index 69f33603..d4772f3e 100644
--- a/writer/HDF5DataFile.cpp
+++ b/writer/HDF5DataFile.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <iostream>
 
 #include "HDF5DataFile.h"
 #include "../compression/JFJochCompressor.h"
@@ -86,7 +87,11 @@ HDF5DataFile::~HDF5DataFile() {
     if (data_file) {
         try {
             Close();
-        } catch (...) {}
+        } catch (const std::exception &e) {
+            std::cerr << "HDF5DataFile::~HDF5DataFile: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        } catch (...) {
+            std::cerr << "HDF5DataFile::~HDF5DataFile: Unknown error " << std::endl;
+        }
     }
 }