diff --git a/emcc.py b/emcc.py
index 32a82e274fe93..3958ca5d14d6c 100644
--- a/emcc.py
+++ b/emcc.py
@@ -1457,7 +1457,8 @@ def parse_string_value(text):
     first = text[0]
     if first == "'" or first == '"':
       text = text.rstrip()
-      assert text[-1] == text[0] and len(text) > 1, 'unclosed opened quoted string. expected final character to be "%s" and length to be greater than 1 in "%s"' % (text[0], text)
+      if text[-1] != text[0] or len(text) < 2:
+         raise ValueError(f'unclosed quoted string. expected final character to be "{text[0]}" and length to be greater than 1 in "{text[0]}"')
       return text[1:-1]
     return text
 
@@ -1469,7 +1470,7 @@ def parse_string_list_members(text):
     while True:
       current = values[index].lstrip() # Cannot safely rstrip for cases like: "HERE-> ,"
       if not len(current):
-        exit_with_error('string array should not contain an empty value')
+        raise ValueError('empty value in string list')
       first = current[0]
       if not (first == "'" or first == '"'):
         result.append(current.rstrip())
@@ -1477,7 +1478,7 @@ def parse_string_list_members(text):
         start = index
         while True: # Continue until closing quote found
           if index >= len(values):
-            exit_with_error("unclosed quoted string. expected final character to be '%s' in '%s'" % (first, values[start]))
+            raise ValueError(f"unclosed quoted string. expected final character to be '{first}' in '{values[start]}'")
           new = values[index].rstrip()
           if new and new[-1] == first:
             if start == index:
@@ -1498,7 +1499,7 @@ def parse_string_list(text):
     text = text.rstrip()
     if text and text[0] == '[':
       if text[-1] != ']':
-        exit_with_error('unclosed opened string list. expected final character to be "]" in "%s"' % (text))
+        raise ValueError('unterminated string list. expected final character to be "]"')
       text = text[1:-1]
     if text.strip() == "":
       return []
diff --git a/test/test_other.py b/test/test_other.py
index b57daee40318b..9951ce4029bef 100644
--- a/test/test_other.py
+++ b/test/test_other.py
@@ -7663,19 +7663,22 @@ def test_dash_s_unclosed_quote(self):
     # Unclosed quote
     err = self.expect_fail([EMCC, test_file('hello_world.c'), '-s', "TEST_KEY='MISSING_QUOTE"])
     self.assertNotContained('AssertionError', err) # Do not mention that it is an assertion error
-    self.assertContained('unclosed opened quoted string. expected final character to be "\'"', err)
+    self.assertContained('error: error parsing "-s" setting', err)
+    self.assertContained('unclosed quoted string. expected final character to be "\'"', err)
 
   def test_dash_s_single_quote(self):
     # Only one quote
     err = self.expect_fail([EMCC, test_file('hello_world.c'), "-sTEST_KEY='"])
     self.assertNotContained('AssertionError', err) # Do not mention that it is an assertion error
-    self.assertContained('unclosed opened quoted string.', err)
+    self.assertContained('error: error parsing "-s" setting', err)
+    self.assertContained('unclosed quoted string.', err)
 
   def test_dash_s_unclosed_list(self):
     # Unclosed list
     err = self.expect_fail([EMCC, test_file('hello_world.cpp'), "-sTEST_KEY=[Value1, Value2"])
     self.assertNotContained('AssertionError', err) # Do not mention that it is an assertion error
-    self.assertContained('unclosed opened string list. expected final character to be "]"', err)
+    self.assertContained('error: error parsing "-s" setting', err)
+    self.assertContained('unterminated string list. expected final character to be "]"', err)
 
   def test_dash_s_valid_list(self):
     err = self.expect_fail([EMCC, test_file('hello_world.cpp'), "-sTEST_KEY=[Value1, \"Value2\"]"])