diff --git a/src/addresses.py b/src/addresses.py
index dd3580f6..560849df 100644
--- a/src/addresses.py
+++ b/src/addresses.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def decodeBase58(string, alphabet=ALPHABET):
         for char in string:
             num *= base
             num += alphabet.index(char)
-    except:  # noqa:E722  # ValueError
+    except ValueError:
         # character not found (like a space character or a 0)
         return 0
     return num
diff --git a/src/helper_startup.py b/src/helper_startup.py
index 5c865f49..9fa4f261 100644
--- a/src/helper_startup.py
+++ b/src/helper_startup.py
@@ -49,13 +49,17 @@ def loadConfig():
                 'Loading config files from directory specified'
                 ' on startup: %s', state.appdata)
     else:
-        config.read(paths.lookupExeFolder() + 'keys.dat')
         try:
-            config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion')
+            config.read(paths.lookupExeFolder() + 'keys.dat')
+        except:  # noqa:E722
+            logger.info(
+                'Permission error in BMConfigParser().read() method for keys.dat file')
+
+        if config.safeGet('bitmessagesettings', 'settingsversion'):
             logger.info('Loading config files from same directory as program.')
             needToCreateKeysFile = False
             state.appdata = paths.lookupExeFolder()
-        except:  # noqa:E722
+        else:
             # Could not load the keys.dat file in the program directory.
             # Perhaps it is in the appdata directory.
             state.appdata = paths.lookupAppdataFolder()
diff --git a/src/highlevelcrypto.py b/src/highlevelcrypto.py
index 431a6dae..82743acf 100644
--- a/src/highlevelcrypto.py
+++ b/src/highlevelcrypto.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def verify(msg, sig, hexPubkey):
         # old SHA1 algorithm.
         sigVerifyPassed = makePubCryptor(hexPubkey).verify(
             sig, msg, digest_alg=OpenSSL.digest_ecdsa_sha1)
-    except:  # noqa:E722
+    except:
         sigVerifyPassed = False
     if sigVerifyPassed:
         # The signature check passed using SHA1
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def verify(msg, sig, hexPubkey):
     try:
         return makePubCryptor(hexPubkey).verify(
             sig, msg, digest_alg=OpenSSL.EVP_sha256)
-    except:  # noqa:E722
+    except:
         return False