diff --git a/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/Config.java b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/Config.java
index bf59b50f5c3..f105ae413d0 100644
--- a/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/Config.java
+++ b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/Config.java
@@ -1638,7 +1638,7 @@ default Builder metaConfig() {
             try {
                 MetaConfig.metaConfig()
                         .ifPresent(this::config);
-            } catch (Exception e) {
+            } catch (MetaConfigException e) {
                 System.getLogger(getClass().getName())
                         .log(System.Logger.Level.WARNING, "Failed to load SE meta-configuration,"
                                 + " please make sure it has correct format.", e);
diff --git a/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaConfigException.java b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaConfigException.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af08c95d7c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaConfigException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2024 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package io.helidon.config;
+
+/**
+ * Exception is thrown if problems are found while processing meta config.
+ */
+public class MetaConfigException extends RuntimeException {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor with the detailed message.
+     *
+     * @param message the message
+     */
+    public MetaConfigException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor with the detailed message.
+     *
+     * @param message the message
+     * @param cause   the cause
+     */
+    public MetaConfigException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+        super(message, cause);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaProviders.java b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaProviders.java
index 1c30190f5a2..9b1abd3fb69 100644
--- a/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaProviders.java
+++ b/config/config/src/main/java/io/helidon/config/MetaProviders.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2019, 2022 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019, 2024 Oracle and/or its affiliates.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static ConfigSource configSource(String type, Config config) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.create(type, config))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                         + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_CONFIG_SOURCES));
     }
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ static List<ConfigSource> configSources(String type, Config sourceProperties) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.createMulti(type, sourceProperties))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                         + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_CONFIG_SOURCES));
     }
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static OverrideSource overrideSource(String type, Config config) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.create(type, config))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Config source of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                         + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_OVERRIDE_SOURCES));
     }
 
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static PollingStrategy pollingStrategy(String type, Config config) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.create(type, config))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Polling strategy of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Polling strategy of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                         + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_POLLING_STRATEGIES));
     }
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ static RetryPolicy retryPolicy(String type, Config config) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.create(type, config))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Retry policy of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Retry policy of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                         + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_RETRY_POLICIES));
     }
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public static ChangeWatcher<?> changeWatcher(String type, Config config) {
                 .filter(provider -> provider.supports(type))
                 .findFirst()
                 .map(provider -> provider.create(type, config))
-                .orElseThrow(() -> new IllegalArgumentException("Change watcher of type " + type + " is not supported."
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new MetaConfigException("Change watcher of type " + type + " is not supported."
                                                                 + " Supported types: " + SUPPORTED_CHANGE_WATCHERS));
     }