diff --git a/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/confound_correction.py b/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/confound_correction.py
index bf259426..a4245543 100755
--- a/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/confound_correction.py
+++ b/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/confound_correction.py
@@ -316,9 +316,6 @@ def _run_interface(self, runtime):
             df.to_csv(mc_file)
 
             cleaned_file, aroma_out = exec_ICA_AROMA(inFile, mc_file, brain_mask_file, CSF_mask_file, TR, cr_opts.ica_aroma['dim'], random_seed=cr_opts.ica_aroma['random_seed'])
-            # if AROMA failed, returns empty outputs
-            if cleaned_file is None:
-                return runtime
             setattr(self, 'aroma_out', aroma_out)
 
             data_img = sitk.ReadImage(cleaned_file, sitk.sitkFloat32)
diff --git a/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/mod_ICA_AROMA/ICA_AROMA_functions.py b/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/mod_ICA_AROMA/ICA_AROMA_functions.py
index c7f6e40a..493cf4c6 100644
--- a/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/mod_ICA_AROMA/ICA_AROMA_functions.py
+++ b/rabies/confound_correction_pkg/mod_ICA_AROMA/ICA_AROMA_functions.py
@@ -105,9 +105,8 @@ def run_ICA_AROMA(outDir,inFile,mc,TR,mask="",mask_csf="",denType="nonaggr",melD
     try:
         aromafunc.runICA(fslDir, inFile, outDir, melDir, mask, dim, TR, random_seed=random_seed)
         melIC = os.path.join(outDir, 'melodic_IC_thr.nii.gz')
-    except:
-        print('MELODIC FAILED. RETURNING EMPTY FILES.')
-        return False, False
+    except Exception as e:
+        raise ValueError(f"MELODIC FAILED DURING ICA-AROMA: {e}")
 
     print('Step 2) Automatic classification of the components')