diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9c05dde6..85181bc8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ set (LOOT_HEADERS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_paths.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/api_decorator.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/error.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/error_categories.h"
+                "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/game_type.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/language_code.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/loot_version.h"
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ set (LOOT_API_HEADERS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/api.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/database_interface.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/error.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/error_categories.h"
+                      "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/game_type.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/language_code.h"
                       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/loot_version.h"
diff --git a/docs/api/Doxyfile b/docs/api/Doxyfile
index 30827ce3..a092323e 100644
--- a/docs/api/Doxyfile
+++ b/docs/api/Doxyfile
@@ -781,7 +781,8 @@ WARN_LOGFILE           =
 # spaces. See also FILE_PATTERNS and EXTENSION_MAPPING
 # Note: If this tag is empty the current directory is searched.
 
-INPUT                  = include/loot
+INPUT                  = include/loot \
+                         include/loot/exception
 
 # This tag can be used to specify the character encoding of the source files
 # that doxygen parses. Internally doxygen uses the UTF-8 encoding. Doxygen uses
diff --git a/docs/api/reference.rst b/docs/api/reference.rst
index 532e6d57..afedbb8b 100644
--- a/docs/api/reference.rst
+++ b/docs/api/reference.rst
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ Interfaces
 Classes
 =======
 
+.. doxygenclass:: loot::CyclicInteractionError
+   :members:
+
 .. doxygenclass:: loot::Error
    :members:
 
diff --git a/include/loot/api.h b/include/loot/api.h
index 337096bd..5a81c2ae 100644
--- a/include/loot/api.h
+++ b/include/loot/api.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "loot/database_interface.h"
 #include "loot/error.h"
 #include "loot/error_categories.h"
+#include "loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h"
 #include "loot/game_type.h"
 #include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
diff --git a/include/loot/error.h b/include/loot/error.h
index 94aa0a96..c6135131 100644
--- a/include/loot/error.h
+++ b/include/loot/error.h
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ public:
      * repository.
      */
     git_error = 12,
-    /** An error occurred while trying to sort the load order. */
-    sorting_error = 14,
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/include/loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h b/include/loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f5ba3c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*  LOOT
+
+    A load order optimisation tool for Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3 and
+    Fallout: New Vegas.
+
+    Copyright (C) 2012-2016    WrinklyNinja
+
+    This file is part of LOOT.
+
+    LOOT is free software: you can redistribute
+    it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+    as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
+    the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+    LOOT is distributed in the hope that it will
+    be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with LOOT.  If not, see
+    <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+    */
+
+#ifndef LOOT_EXCEPTION_CYCLIC_INTERACTION_ERROR
+#define LOOT_EXCEPTION_CYCLIC_INTERACTION_ERROR
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace loot {
+/**
+ * @brief An exception class thrown if a cyclic interaction is detected when
+ *        sorting a load order.
+ */
+class CyclicInteractionError : public std::runtime_error {
+public:
+  using std::runtime_error::runtime_error;
+};
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.cpp b/src/backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.cpp
index b58f162a..6bce1d71 100644
--- a/src/backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <boost/log/trivial.hpp>
 
 #include "loot/error.h"
+#include "loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h"
 #include "backend/game/game.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/helpers.h"
 
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ public:
 
     BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(error) << "Cyclic interaction detected between plugins \"" << graph[source].Name() << "\" and \"" << graph[target].Name() << "\". Back cycle: " << backCycle;
 
-    throw loot::Error(loot::Error::Code::sorting_error, (boost::format(boost::locale::translate("Cyclic interaction detected between plugins \"%1%\" and \"%2%\". Back cycle: %3%")) % graph[source].Name() % graph[target].Name() % backCycle).str());
+    throw CyclicInteractionError((boost::format(boost::locale::translate("Cyclic interaction detected between plugins \"%1%\" and \"%2%\". Back cycle: %3%")) % graph[source].Name() % graph[target].Name() % backCycle).str());
   }
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/gui/query/sort_plugins_query.h b/src/gui/query/sort_plugins_query.h
index 0bc13e88..e526b731 100644
--- a/src/gui/query/sort_plugins_query.h
+++ b/src/gui/query/sort_plugins_query.h
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ along with LOOT.  If not, see
 
 #include <boost/locale.hpp>
 
+#include "backend/app/loot_state.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/json.h"
 #include "backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.h"
+#include "loot/exception/cyclic_interaction_error.h"
 #include "gui/query/metadata_query.h"
 
 namespace loot {
@@ -68,12 +70,11 @@ private:
     try {
       PluginSorter sorter;
       plugins = sorter.Sort(state_.getCurrentGame(), state_.getLanguage().GetCode());
+    } catch (CyclicInteractionError& e) {
+      BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(error) << "Failed to sort plugins. Details: " << e.what();
+      state_.getCurrentGame().AppendMessage(Message(MessageType::error, e.what()));
     } catch (Error& e) {
       BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(error) << "Failed to sort plugins. Details: " << e.what();
-      if (e.code() != Error::Code::sorting_error)
-        throw;
-
-      state_.getCurrentGame().AppendMessage(Message(MessageType::error, e.what()));
     }
 
     return plugins;