diff --git a/java/org/slub/rosetta/dps/repository/plugin/TestXmlFormatValidationPlugin.java b/java/org/slub/rosetta/dps/repository/plugin/TestXmlFormatValidationPlugin.java
index a2bb7051e8c20e335e843382245b2a32ca8ae8bb..703b232f481a1c6ca452bd0622f7b063d7e07a28 100644
--- a/java/org/slub/rosetta/dps/repository/plugin/TestXmlFormatValidationPlugin.java
+++ b/java/org/slub/rosetta/dps/repository/plugin/TestXmlFormatValidationPlugin.java
@@ -82,23 +82,38 @@ public class TestXmlFormatValidationPlugin {
         for (Path path : validPaths) {
             System.out.println("= should be valid ===== " + path.toString());
             assertTrue("validateFormat (pass), check if " + path + " exist", Files.exists(path));
-            mock.validateFormat(path.toString());
-            assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), returns valid?", mock.validateFormat(path.toString()));
-            assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), is wellformed?", mock.isWellFormed());
-            //System.out.println("ERRORS:" + mock.getErrors());
+            var has_exception = false;
+            var is_valid = false;
+            try {
+                is_valid = mock.validateFormat(path.toString());
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                System.out.println( "EXCEPTION:" + e.getMessage());
+                e.printStackTrace();
+                has_exception = true;
+            }
             assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), reports no errors?", mock.getErrors().isEmpty());
+            assertFalse("validateformat(" + path + "), has no exception", has_exception);
+            assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), is wellformed?", mock.isWellFormed());
+            assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), returns valid?", is_valid);
             assertNotNull("getValidationDetails(), " + path + ", not null", mock.getValidationDetails());
             assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), is valid?", mock.isValid());
         }
 
-
         for (Path path : invalidPaths) {
             System.out.println("= should be invalid === " + path.toString());
             assertTrue("validateFormat (pass), check if " + path + " exist", Files.exists(path));
-            //mock.validateFormat(path.toString());
-            assertFalse("validateFormat(" + path + "), returns invalid?", mock.validateFormat(path.toString()));
+            var has_exception = false;
+            var is_valid = true; // true to show if flipped
+            try {
+                is_valid= mock.validateFormat(path.toString());
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                System.out.println( "EXCEPTION:" + e.getMessage());
+                e.printStackTrace();
+                has_exception = true;
+            }
+            assertFalse("validateformat(" + path + "), has no exception", has_exception);
             assertTrue("validateFormat(" + path + "), is wellformed?", mock.isWellFormed());
-            //System.out.println("ERRORS:" + mock.getErrors());
+            assertFalse("validateFormat(" + path + "), returns invalid?", is_valid);
             assertFalse("validateFormat(" + path + "), reports errors?", mock.getErrors().isEmpty());
             assertNotNull("getValidationDetails(), " + path + ", not null", mock.getValidationDetails());
             assertFalse("validateFormat(" + path + "), is invalid?", mock.isValid());