diff --git a/astroquery/jplhorizons/core.py b/astroquery/jplhorizons/core.py
index fbef822aa4..272e7f97fa 100644
--- a/astroquery/jplhorizons/core.py
+++ b/astroquery/jplhorizons/core.py
@@ -1287,11 +1287,20 @@ def _parse_result(self, response, verbose=None):
         data : `astropy.Table`
 
         """
+        self.last_response = response
         if self.query_type not in ['ephemerides', 'elements', 'vectors']:
             return None
         else:
-            data = self._parse_horizons(response.text)
-
+            try:
+                data = self._parse_horizons(response.text)
+            except Exception as ex:
+                try:
+                    self._last_query.remove_cache_file(self.cache_location)
+                except OSError:
+                    # this is allowed: if `cache` was set to False, this
+                    # won't be needed
+                    pass
+                raise
         return data
 
 
diff --git a/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/README b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/README
index 75b8a933c2..12cf5764f9 100644
--- a/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/README
+++ b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/README
@@ -10,4 +10,7 @@ ceres_vectors.txt
 https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?format=text&EPHEM_TYPE=VECTORS&OUT_UNITS=AU-D&COMMAND=%22Ceres%3B%22&CENTER=%27500%4010%27&CSV_FORMAT=%22YES%22&REF_PLANE=ECLIPTIC&REF_SYSTEM=ICRF&TP_TYPE=ABSOLUTE&VEC_LABELS=YES&VEC_CORR=%22NONE%22&VEC_DELTA_T=NO&OBJ_DATA=YES&TLIST=2451544.5
 
 no_H.txt
-https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?format=text&EPHEM_TYPE=OBSERVER&QUANTITIES=%271%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C7%2C8%2C9%2C10%2C11%2C12%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%2C17%2C18%2C19%2C20%2C21%2C22%2C23%2C24%2C25%2C26%2C27%2C28%2C29%2C30%2C31%2C32%2C33%2C34%2C35%2C36%2C37%2C38%2C39%2C40%2C41%2C42%2C43%27&COMMAND=%221935+UZ%3B%22&SOLAR_ELONG=%220%2C180%22&LHA_CUTOFF=0&CSV_FORMAT=YES&CAL_FORMAT=BOTH&ANG_FORMAT=DEG&APPARENT=AIRLESS&REF_SYSTEM=ICRF&EXTRA_PREC=NO&CENTER=%27500%40399%27&TLIST=2459480.5004416634&SKIP_DAYLT=NO
\ No newline at end of file
+https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?format=text&EPHEM_TYPE=OBSERVER&QUANTITIES=%271%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C7%2C8%2C9%2C10%2C11%2C12%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%2C17%2C18%2C19%2C20%2C21%2C22%2C23%2C24%2C25%2C26%2C27%2C28%2C29%2C30%2C31%2C32%2C33%2C34%2C35%2C36%2C37%2C38%2C39%2C40%2C41%2C42%2C43%27&COMMAND=%221935+UZ%3B%22&SOLAR_ELONG=%220%2C180%22&LHA_CUTOFF=0&CSV_FORMAT=YES&CAL_FORMAT=BOTH&ANG_FORMAT=DEG&APPARENT=AIRLESS&REF_SYSTEM=ICRF&EXTRA_PREC=NO&CENTER=%27500%40399%27&TLIST=2459480.5004416634&SKIP_DAYLT=NO
+
+tlist_error.txt
+https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?format=text&COMMAND=%27499%27&OBJ_DATA=%27YES%27&MAKE_EPHEM=%27YES%27&EPHEM_TYPE=%27OBSERVER%27&CENTER=%27500@399%27&QUANTITIES=%271,9,20,23,24,29%27&TLIST=[]
diff --git a/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/tlist_error.txt b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/tlist_error.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cdbc9b32b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/data/tlist_error.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+API VERSION: 1.1
+API SOURCE: NASA/JPL Horizons API
+
+BATVAR: no TLIST values found (or missing quotes)
+WLDINI: error loading execution-control file.
diff --git a/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/test_jplhorizons.py b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/test_jplhorizons.py
index b8b03f29c3..98cd7c9ae8 100644
--- a/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/test_jplhorizons.py
+++ b/astroquery/jplhorizons/tests/test_jplhorizons.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Licensed under a 3-clause BSD style license - see LICENSE.rst
 
+from multiprocessing import Value
 import pytest
 import os
 from collections import OrderedDict
@@ -9,13 +10,16 @@
 from astropy.utils.exceptions import AstropyDeprecationWarning
 
 from ...utils.testing_tools import MockResponse
+from ...query import AstroQuery
+from ...exceptions import TableParseError
 from ... import jplhorizons
 
 # files in data/ for different query types
 DATA_FILES = {'ephemerides': 'ceres_ephemerides.txt',
               'elements': 'ceres_elements.txt',
               'vectors': 'ceres_vectors.txt',
-              '"1935 UZ"': 'no_H.txt'}
+              '"1935 UZ"': 'no_H.txt',
+              '"tlist_error"': 'tlist_error.txt'}
 
 
 def data_path(filename):
@@ -55,6 +59,13 @@ def patch_request(request):
 
 # --------------------------------- actual test functions
 
+def test_parse_result(patch_request):
+    q = jplhorizons.Horizons(id='tlist_error')
+    # need _last_query to be defined
+    q._last_query = AstroQuery('GET', 'http://dummy')
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        res = q.ephemerides()
+
 
 def test_ephemerides_query(patch_request):
     # check values of Ceres for a given epoch