diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 45f56de..67d3d67 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -119,10 +119,9 @@ use highs_sys::*;
 
 pub use matrix_col::{ColMatrix, Row};
 pub use matrix_row::{Col, RowMatrix};
+pub use options::{HighsOptionValue, TrySetOptionError};
 pub use status::{HighsModelStatus, HighsSolutionStatus, HighsStatus};
 
-use crate::options::HighsOptionValue;
-
 /// A problem where variables are declared first, and constraints are then added dynamically.
 /// See [`Problem<RowMatrix>`](Problem#impl-1).
 pub type RowProblem = Problem<RowMatrix>;
@@ -388,7 +387,28 @@ impl Model {
     /// model.set_option("threads", 4); // solve on 4 threads
     /// ```
     pub fn set_option<STR: Into<Vec<u8>>, V: HighsOptionValue>(&mut self, option: STR, value: V) {
-        self.highs.set_option(option, value)
+        self.try_set_option(option, value).unwrap()
+    }
+
+    /// Try to set a custom parameter on the model, returning an error if it fails.
+    /// For the list of available options and their documentation, see:
+    /// <https://ergo-code.github.io/HiGHS/dev/options/definitions/>
+    ///
+    /// It will fail if the option does not exist or the value is invalid.
+    ///
+    /// ```
+    /// # use highs::ColProblem;
+    /// # use highs::Sense::Maximise;
+    /// let mut model = ColProblem::default().optimise(Maximise);
+    /// assert!(model.try_set_option("presolve", "off").is_ok()); // disable the presolver
+    /// assert!(model.try_set_option("made_up_option", true).is_err());
+    /// ```
+    pub fn try_set_option<STR: Into<Vec<u8>>, V: HighsOptionValue>(
+        &mut self,
+        option: STR,
+        value: V,
+    ) -> Result<(), TrySetOptionError> {
+        self.highs.try_set_option(option, value)
     }
 
     /// Set the number of threads to use when solving the model.
@@ -703,16 +723,22 @@ impl HighsPtr {
         // setting log_file seems to cause a double free in Highs.
         // See https://github.com/rust-or/highs/issues/3
         // self.set_option(&b"log_file"[..], "");
-        self.set_option(&b"output_flag"[..], false);
-        self.set_option(&b"log_to_console"[..], false);
+        self.try_set_option(&b"output_flag"[..], false).unwrap();
+        self.try_set_option(&b"log_to_console"[..], false).unwrap();
     }
 
     /// Set a custom parameter on the model
-    pub fn set_option<STR: Into<Vec<u8>>, V: HighsOptionValue>(&mut self, option: STR, value: V) {
-        let c_str = CString::new(option).expect("invalid option name");
+    pub fn try_set_option<STR: Into<Vec<u8>>, V: HighsOptionValue>(
+        &mut self,
+        option: STR,
+        value: V,
+    ) -> Result<(), TrySetOptionError> {
+        let c_str = CString::new(option).expect("Option name contains NUL char");
         let status = unsafe { value.apply_to_highs(self.mut_ptr(), c_str.as_ptr()) };
-        try_handle_status(status, "Highs_setOptionValue")
-            .expect("An error was encountered in HiGHS.");
+        match try_handle_status(status, "Highs_setOptionValue") {
+            Ok(_) => Ok(()),
+            Err(_) => Err(TrySetOptionError {}),
+        }
     }
 
     /// Number of variables
@@ -1071,6 +1097,4 @@ mod test {
         assert_eq!(status, highs_sys::STATUS_OK);
         assert_eq!(value, 2);
     }
-
-
 }
diff --git a/src/options.rs b/src/options.rs
index d83f82d..c846012 100644
--- a/src/options.rs
+++ b/src/options.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,28 @@
+use std::error::Error;
 use std::ffi::{c_void, CStr, CString};
+use std::fmt::{Debug, Display};
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_int};
 
+/// An error occurred while trying to set a model option
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct TrySetOptionError;
+
+impl Display for TrySetOptionError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "Error setting model option")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Error for TrySetOptionError {}
+
+/// A trait defining the possible value types for HiGHS model options
 pub trait HighsOptionValue {
+    /// Apply the given value to the given option for the HiGHS model
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// This function should only be called with valid pointers to `highs` and `option`. `option`
+    /// should be a NUL-terminated C-string.
     unsafe fn apply_to_highs(self, highs: *mut c_void, option: *const c_char) -> c_int;
 }