diff --git a/aider/main.py b/aider/main.py
index a5b3e5242..190cd81ca 100644
--- a/aider/main.py
+++ b/aider/main.py
@@ -361,7 +361,20 @@ def main(argv=None, input=None, output=None, force_git_root=None, return_coder=F
     default_config_files = list(map(str, default_config_files))
 
     parser = get_parser(default_config_files, git_root)
-    args, unknown = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
+    try:
+        args, unknown = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
+    except AttributeError as e:
+        if "'bool' object has no attribute 'strip'" in str(e):
+            io.tool_error("Configuration error detected.")
+            io.tool_output("It seems you have 'yes:' in one of your configuration files.")
+            io.tool_output("Please replace 'yes:' with 'yes-always:' in the relevant .aider.conf.yml file.")
+            io.tool_output("Configuration files are searched for in this order:")
+            for config_file in default_config_files:
+                io.tool_output(f"  - {config_file}")
+            io.tool_output("For more information, refer to the aider documentation on configuration.")
+            return 1
+        else:
+            raise
 
     if args.verbose:
         print("Config files search order, if no --config:")