diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 06c50dfb5..a2db78662 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ New in spot 1.99.4a (not yet released)
 
   Library:
 
-  * Rename dtgba_complement() to dtwa_complement(), rename the header
-    as complement.hh, and restrict the purpose of this function to
-    just complete the automaton and complement its acceptance
-    condition.   Any further acceptance condition transformation
-    can be done with to_generalized_buchi() or remove_fin().
+  * dtgba_complement() was renamed to dtwa_complement(), moved to
+    complement.hh, and its purpose was restricted to just completing
+    the automaton and complementing its acceptance condition.  Any
+    further acceptance condition transformation can be done with
+    to_generalized_buchi() or remove_fin().
 
   * The remove_fin() has learnt how to better deal with automata that
     are declared as weak.  This code was previously in
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ New in spot 1.99.4a (not yet released)
     acceptance.  The most visible effect is in the output of "ltl2tgba
     -s XXXa": it used to have 5 accepting states, it now has only one.
     (Changing removing acceptance of those 4 states has no effect on
-    the language, but it speedup some algorithms like NDFS-based
+    the language, but it speeds up some algorithms like NDFS-based
     emptiness checks, as discussed in our Spin'15 paper.)
 
   * The HOA parser will diagnose any version that is not v1, unless it
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ New in spot 1.99.4a (not yet released)
     make it easier to introduce new options.  One such new option is
     "trust_hoa": when true (the default) supported properties declared
     in HOA files are trusted even if they cannot be easily be verified.
+    Another option "raise_errors" now replaces the method
+      automaton_stream_parser::parse_strict().
+
+  * The output of the automaton parser now include the list of parse
+    errors (that does not have to be passed as a parameters) and the
+    input filename (making the output of error message easier).
 
   * renamings:
     ltl_simplifier -> tl_simplifier
@@ -54,9 +60,10 @@ New in spot 1.99.4a (not yet released)
     tgba_sub_statistics::sub_transitions -> twa_sub_statistics::transitions
     tgba_run -> twa_run
     reduce_run -> twa_run::reduce
-    replay_twa_run -> twa_run::replay
-    print_twa_run -> operator<<
-    twa_run_to_tgba -> twa_run::as_twa
+    replay_tgba_run -> twa_run::replay
+    print_tgba_run -> operator<<
+    tgba_run_to_tgba -> twa_run::as_twa
+    format_parse_aut_errors -> parsed_aut::format_errors
 
   Python:
 
diff --git a/doc/org/tut20.org b/doc/org/tut20.org
index 905b0f31d..babfb62f4 100644
--- a/doc/org/tut20.org
+++ b/doc/org/tut20.org
@@ -124,16 +124,15 @@ State: 4
 * C++
 
 Parsing an automaton is almost similar to [[file:tut01.org][parsing an LTL formula]].  The
-=parse_aut()= function takes a filename, a reference to a
-=parse_aut_error_list= object to populate (should errors be found) and
-a BDD dictionary (to be discussed later on this page).  It returns a
-shared pointer to a structure that has two fields: =aborted= is a
+=parse_aut()= function takes a filename and a BDD dictionary (to be
+discussed later on this page).  It returns a shared pointer to a
+structure that has a couple of important fields: =aborted= is a
 Boolean telling if the input automaton was voluntarily aborted (a
-feature of [[file:hoa.org][the HOA format]]), and =aut= is the actual automaton.  The
-shared pointer returned by =parse_aut()= might be null (in which case
-the the =parse_aut_error_list= is guaranteed not to be empty), but
-since the parser performs some error recovery it is likely that an
-automaton is returned even in the presence of parse errors.
+feature of [[file:hoa.org][the HOA format]]), =errors= is a list of syntax errors that
+occurred while parsing the automaton (printing these errors is up to
+you), and =aut= is the actual automaton.  The parser usually tries to
+recover from errors, so =aut= may not be null even if =errors= is
+non-empty.
 
 #+BEGIN_SRC C++ :results verbatim :exports both
   #include <string>
@@ -144,10 +143,9 @@ automaton is returned even in the presence of parse errors.
   int main()
   {
     std::string input = "tut20.never";
-    spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
     spot::bdd_dict_ptr dict = spot::make_bdd_dict();
-    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, pel, dict);
-    if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, input, pel))
+    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, dict);
+    if (pa->format_errors(std::cerr))
       return 1;
     // This cannot occur when reading a never claim, but
     // it could while reading a HOA file.
diff --git a/doc/org/tut21.org b/doc/org/tut21.org
index 1bf772872..23d17fd87 100644
--- a/doc/org/tut21.org
+++ b/doc/org/tut21.org
@@ -71,10 +71,8 @@ corresponding BDD variable number, and then use for instance
   int main()
   {
     std::string input = "tut21.hoa";
-    spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-    spot::bdd_dict_ptr dict = spot::make_bdd_dict();
-    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, pel, dict);
-    if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, input, pel))
+    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, spot::make_bdd_dict());
+    if (pa->format_errors(std::cerr))
       return 1;
     // This cannot occur when reading a never claim, but
     // it could while reading a HOA file.
diff --git a/doc/org/tut30.org b/doc/org/tut30.org
index 8821e496d..63558fb35 100644
--- a/doc/org/tut30.org
+++ b/doc/org/tut30.org
@@ -240,10 +240,8 @@ automaton to process.
   int main()
   {
     std::string input = "tut30.hoa";
-    spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-    spot::bdd_dict_ptr dict = spot::make_bdd_dict();
-    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, pel, dict);
-    if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, input, pel))
+    spot::parsed_aut_ptr pa = parse_aut(input, spot::make_bdd_dict());
+    if (pa->format_errors(std::cerr))
       return 1;
     if (pa->aborted)
       {
diff --git a/src/bin/autfilt.cc b/src/bin/autfilt.cc
index 5bf4d6cd9..6ee8bbdf3 100644
--- a/src/bin/autfilt.cc
+++ b/src/bin/autfilt.cc
@@ -676,27 +676,22 @@ namespace
     int
     process_file(const char* filename)
     {
-      spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
       auto hp = spot::automaton_stream_parser(filename, opt_parse);
-
       int err = 0;
-
       while (!abort_run)
 	{
-	  pel.clear();
-	  auto haut = hp.parse(pel, opt->dict);
-	  if (!haut && pel.empty())
+	  auto haut = hp.parse(opt->dict);
+	  if (!haut->aut && haut->errors.empty())
 	    break;
-	  if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, filename, pel))
+	  if (haut->format_errors(std::cerr))
 	    err = 2;
-	  if (!haut)
+	  if (!haut->aut)
 	    error(2, 0, "failed to read automaton from %s", filename);
 	  else if (haut->aborted)
 	    err = std::max(err, aborted(haut, filename));
 	  else
             process_automaton(haut, filename);
 	}
-
       return err;
     }
   };
diff --git a/src/bin/common_hoaread.cc b/src/bin/common_hoaread.cc
index 37254cc54..2d19227b5 100644
--- a/src/bin/common_hoaread.cc
+++ b/src/bin/common_hoaread.cc
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ spot::automaton_parser_options opt_parse;
 spot::twa_graph_ptr
 read_automaton(const char* filename, spot::bdd_dict_ptr& dict)
 {
-  spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-  auto p = spot::parse_aut(filename, pel, dict,
+  auto p = spot::parse_aut(filename, dict,
 			   spot::default_environment::instance(),
 			   opt_parse);
-  if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, filename, pel)
-      || !p || p->aborted)
+  if (p->format_errors(std::cerr))
     error(2, 0, "failed to read automaton from %s", filename);
+  if (p->aborted)
+    error(2, 0, "failed to read automaton from %s (--ABORT-- read)", filename);
   return std::move(p->aut);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/dstar2tgba.cc b/src/bin/dstar2tgba.cc
index 658350b02..cf4e2fb9e 100644
--- a/src/bin/dstar2tgba.cc
+++ b/src/bin/dstar2tgba.cc
@@ -171,27 +171,22 @@ namespace
     int
     process_file(const char* filename)
     {
-      spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
       auto hp = spot::automaton_stream_parser(filename, opt_parse);
-
       int err = 0;
-
       while (!abort_run)
 	{
-	  pel.clear();
-	  auto haut = hp.parse(pel, spot::make_bdd_dict());
-	  if (!haut && pel.empty())
+	  auto haut = hp.parse(spot::make_bdd_dict());
+	  if (!haut->aut && haut->errors.empty())
 	    break;
-	  if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, filename, pel))
+	  if (haut->format_errors(std::cerr))
 	    err = 2;
-	  if (!haut)
+	  if (!haut->aut)
 	    error(2, 0, "failed to read automaton from %s", filename);
 	  else if (haut->aborted)
 	    err = std::max(err, aborted(haut, filename));
 	  else
             process_automaton(haut, filename);
 	}
-
       return err;
     }
   };
diff --git a/src/bin/ltlcross.cc b/src/bin/ltlcross.cc
index 38f9107d8..a7eb6ce88 100644
--- a/src/bin/ltlcross.cc
+++ b/src/bin/ltlcross.cc
@@ -547,28 +547,17 @@ namespace
 	  problem = false;
 	  es = 0;
 
-	  spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-	  std::string filename = output.val()->name();
-	  auto aut = spot::parse_aut(filename, pel, dict,
+	  auto aut = spot::parse_aut(output.val()->name(), dict,
 				     spot::default_environment::instance(),
 				     opt_parse);
-	  if (!pel.empty())
+	  if (!aut->errors.empty())
 	    {
 	      status_str = "parse error";
 	      problem = true;
 	      es = -1;
 	      std::ostream& err = global_error();
 	      err << "error: failed to parse the produced automaton.\n";
-	      spot::format_parse_aut_errors(err, filename, pel);
-	      end_error();
-	      res = nullptr;
-	    }
-	  else if (!aut)
-	    {
-	      status_str = "empty output";
-	      problem = true;
-	      es = -1;
-	      global_error() << "error: empty output.\n";
+	      aut->format_errors(err);
 	      end_error();
 	      res = nullptr;
 	    }
diff --git a/src/bin/ltldo.cc b/src/bin/ltldo.cc
index 905b9b8c9..8b1ac0ff9 100644
--- a/src/bin/ltldo.cc
+++ b/src/bin/ltldo.cc
@@ -168,25 +168,15 @@ namespace
       else if (output.val())
 	{
 	  problem = false;
-
-	  spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-	  std::string filename = output.val()->name();
-	  auto aut = spot::parse_aut(filename, pel, dict,
+	  auto aut = spot::parse_aut(output.val()->name(), dict,
 				     spot::default_environment::instance(),
 				     opt_parse);
-	  if (!pel.empty())
+	  if (!aut->errors.empty())
 	    {
 	      problem = true;
 	      std::cerr << "error: failed to parse the automaton "
 		"produced by \"" << cmd << "\".\n";
-	      spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, filename, pel);
-	      res = nullptr;
-	    }
-	  else if (!aut)
-	    {
-	      problem = true;
-	      std::cerr << "error: command \"" << cmd
-			<< "\" produced an empty output.\n";
+	      aut->format_errors(std::cerr);
 	      res = nullptr;
 	    }
 	  else if (aut->aborted)
diff --git a/src/parseaut/fmterror.cc b/src/parseaut/fmterror.cc
index 26e504fd0..7f164aa31 100644
--- a/src/parseaut/fmterror.cc
+++ b/src/parseaut/fmterror.cc
@@ -23,18 +23,16 @@
 namespace spot
 {
   bool
-  format_parse_aut_errors(std::ostream& os,
-			  const std::string& filename,
-			  parse_aut_error_list& error_list)
+  parsed_aut::format_errors(std::ostream& os)
   {
     bool printed = false;
     spot::parse_aut_error_list::iterator it;
-    for (it = error_list.begin(); it != error_list.end(); ++it)
+    for (auto& err : errors)
       {
-	if (filename != "-")
+	if (!filename.empty() && filename != "-")
 	  os << filename << ':';
-	os << it->first << ": ";
-	os << it->second << std::endl;
+	os << err.first << ": ";
+	os << err.second << std::endl;
 	printed = true;
       }
     return printed;
diff --git a/src/parseaut/parseaut.yy b/src/parseaut/parseaut.yy
index 190fb8dad..3f824db4a 100644
--- a/src/parseaut/parseaut.yy
+++ b/src/parseaut/parseaut.yy
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 %name-prefix "hoayy"
 %debug
 %error-verbose
-%lex-param { spot::parse_aut_error_list& error_list }
+%lex-param { PARSE_ERROR_LIST }
 %define api.location.type "spot::location"
 
 %code requires
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 extern "C" int strverscmp(const char *s1, const char *s2);
 #endif
 
+// Work around Bison not letting us write
+//  %lex-param { res.h->errors }
+#define PARSE_ERROR_LIST res.h->errors
+
   inline namespace hoayy_support
   {
     typedef std::map<int, bdd> map_t;
@@ -142,7 +146,6 @@ extern "C" int strverscmp(const char *s1, const char *s2);
   }
 }
 
-%parse-param {spot::parse_aut_error_list& error_list}
 %parse-param {result_& res}
 %parse-param {spot::location initial_loc}
 
@@ -1433,7 +1436,7 @@ nc-formula: nc-formula-or-ident
 	       here.end.column = here.begin.column + j.first.end.column - 1;
 	       here.begin.line += j.first.begin.line - 1;
 	       here.begin.column += j.first.begin.column - 1;
-	       error_list.emplace_back(here, j.second);
+	       res.h->errors.emplace_back(here, j.second);
 	     }
            bdd cond = bddfalse;
 	   if (f)
@@ -1614,7 +1617,7 @@ lbtt-guard: STRING
 		  here.end.column = here.begin.column + j.first.end.column - 1;
 		  here.begin.line += j.first.begin.line - 1;
 		  here.begin.column += j.first.begin.column - 1;
-		  error_list.emplace_back(here, j.second);
+		  res.h->errors.emplace_back(here, j.second);
 		}
 	    if (!f)
 	      {
@@ -1679,7 +1682,7 @@ void
 hoayy::parser::error(const location_type& location,
 		     const std::string& message)
 {
-  error_list.emplace_back(location, message);
+  res.h->errors.emplace_back(location, message);
 }
 
 static spot::acc_cond::acc_code
@@ -1867,15 +1870,14 @@ static void fix_properties(result_& r)
     r.h->aut->prop_state_based_acc();
 }
 
-static void check_version(const result_& r,
-			  spot::parse_aut_error_list& error_list)
+static void check_version(const result_& r)
 {
   if (r.h->type != spot::parsed_aut_type::HOA)
     return;
   auto& v = r.format_version;
   if (v.size() < 2 || v[0] != 'v' || v[1] < '1' || v[1] > '9')
     {
-      error_list.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc, "unknown HOA version");
+      r.h->errors.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc, "unknown HOA version");
       return;
     }
   const char* beg = &v[1];
@@ -1883,17 +1885,18 @@ static void check_version(const result_& r,
   long int vers = strtol(beg, &end, 10);
   if (vers != 1)
     {
-      error_list.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc, "unsupported HOA version");
+      r.h->errors.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc,
+				  "unsupported HOA version");
       return;
     }
   constexpr const char supported[] = "1";
-  if (strverscmp(supported, beg) < 0 && !error_list.empty())
+  if (strverscmp(supported, beg) < 0 && !r.h->errors.empty())
     {
       std::ostringstream s;
       s << "we can read HOA v" << supported
 	<< " but this file uses " << v << "; this might "
 	<< "cause the following errors";
-      error_list.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc, s.str());
+      r.h->errors.emplace_front(r.format_version_loc, s.str());
       return;
     }
 }
@@ -1930,19 +1933,31 @@ namespace spot
     hoayyclose();
   }
 
+  void raise_parse_error(const parsed_aut_ptr& pa)
+  {
+    if (pa->aborted)
+      pa->errors.emplace_back(pa->loc, "parsing aborted");
+    if (!pa->errors.empty())
+      {
+	std::ostringstream s;
+	if (pa->format_errors(s))
+	  throw parse_error(s.str());
+      }
+    // It is possible that pa->aut == nullptr if we reach the end of a
+    // stream.  It is not necessarily an error.
+  }
 
   parsed_aut_ptr
-  automaton_stream_parser::parse(parse_aut_error_list& error_list,
-				 const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
+  automaton_stream_parser::parse(const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
 				 environment& env)
   {
   restart:
     result_ r;
     r.opts = opts_;
-    r.h = std::make_shared<spot::parsed_aut>();
+    r.h = std::make_shared<spot::parsed_aut>(filename_);
     r.h->aut = make_twa_graph(dict);
     r.env = &env;
-    hoayy::parser parser(error_list, r, last_loc);
+    hoayy::parser parser(r, last_loc);
     static bool env_debug = !!getenv("SPOT_DEBUG_PARSER");
     parser.set_debug_level(opts_.debug || env_debug);
     hoayyreset();
@@ -1957,7 +1972,7 @@ namespace spot
 	// Bison 3.0.2 lacks a += operator for locations.
 	r.h->loc = r.h->loc + e.pos;
       }
-    check_version(r, error_list);
+    check_version(r);
     last_loc = r.h->loc;
     last_loc.step();
     if (r.h->aborted)
@@ -1966,8 +1981,10 @@ namespace spot
 	  goto restart;
 	return r.h;
       }
+    if (opts_.raise_errors)
+      raise_parse_error(r.h);
     if (!r.h->aut)
-      return nullptr;
+      return r.h;
     if (r.state_names)
       r.h->aut->set_named_prop("state-names", r.state_names);
     fix_acceptance(r);
@@ -1976,27 +1993,34 @@ namespace spot
     return r.h;
   };
 
-  twa_graph_ptr
-  automaton_stream_parser::parse_strict(const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
-					environment& env)
+  parsed_aut_ptr
+  parse_aut(const std::string& filename, const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
+	    environment& env, automaton_parser_options opts)
   {
-    parse_aut_error_list pel;
-    auto a = parse(pel, dict, env);
-
-    if (!pel.empty())
+    auto localopts = opts;
+    localopts.raise_errors = false;
+    parsed_aut_ptr pa;
+    try
       {
-	std::ostringstream s;
-	if (format_parse_aut_errors(s, filename_, pel))
-	  throw parse_error(s.str());
+	automaton_stream_parser p(filename, localopts);
+	pa = p.parse(dict, env);
       }
-    if (!a)
-      return nullptr;
-
-    if (a->aborted)
-      throw parse_error("parsing aborted");
-
-    return a->aut;
+    catch (std::runtime_error& e)
+      {
+	if (opts.raise_errors)
+	  throw;
+	parsed_aut_ptr pa = std::make_shared<spot::parsed_aut>(filename);
+	pa->errors.emplace_back(spot::location(), e.what());
+	return pa;
+      }
+    if (!pa->aut && pa->errors.empty())
+      pa->errors.emplace_back(pa->loc, "no automaton read (empty input?)");
+    if (opts.raise_errors)
+      raise_parse_error(pa);
+    return pa;
   }
+
+
 }
 
 // Local Variables:
diff --git a/src/parseaut/public.hh b/src/parseaut/public.hh
index 64514fe21..aedc421cf 100644
--- a/src/parseaut/public.hh
+++ b/src/parseaut/public.hh
@@ -45,70 +45,58 @@ namespace spot
 
   enum class parsed_aut_type { HOA, NeverClaim, LBTT, DRA, DSA, Unknown };
 
-  /// \brief Temporary encoding of an omega automaton produced by
-  /// the parser.
-  struct SPOT_API parsed_aut
+  /// \brief Result of the automaton parser
+  struct SPOT_API parsed_aut final
   {
-    // Transition structure of the automaton.
-    // This is encoded as a TGBA without acceptance condition.
+    /// \brief The parsed automaton.
+    ///
+    /// May be null if the parser reached the end of the stream or a
+    /// serious error. In the latter case, \c errors is non-empty.
     twa_graph_ptr aut;
+    /// Whether an HOA file was termined with <code>--ABORT</code>
     bool aborted = false;
+    /// Location of the automaton in the stream.
     spot::location loc;
+    /// Format of the automaton.
     parsed_aut_type type = parsed_aut_type::Unknown;
+    /// Name of the stream (used for displaying syntax errors)
+    const std::string filename;
+    /// \brief Syntax errors that occurred during parsing.
+    ///
+    /// Note that the parser does not print any diagnostic.
+    /// Deciding how to output those errors is up to you.
+    parse_aut_error_list errors;
+
+    parsed_aut(const std::string& str)
+      : filename(str)
+    {
+    }
+    /// \brief Format diagnostics produced by spot::parse_aut.
+    /// \param os Where diagnostics should be output.
+    /// \return \c true iff any diagnostic was output.
+    bool format_errors(std::ostream& os);
   };
 
   typedef std::shared_ptr<parsed_aut> parsed_aut_ptr;
   typedef std::shared_ptr<const parsed_aut> const_parsed_aut_ptr;
 
-  struct automaton_parser_options
+  struct automaton_parser_options final
   {
     bool ignore_abort = false;	///< Skip aborted automata
     bool debug = false;		///< Run the parser in debug mode?
     bool trust_hoa = true;	///< Trust properties in HOA files
+    bool raise_errors = false;	///< Raise errors as exceptions.
   };
 
-  class SPOT_API automaton_stream_parser
-  {
-    spot::location last_loc;
-    std::string filename_;
-    automaton_parser_options opts_;
-  public:
-    automaton_stream_parser(const std::string& filename,
-			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
-    // Read from an already open file descriptor.
-    // Use filename in error messages.
-    automaton_stream_parser(int fd, const std::string& filename,
-			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
-    // Read from a buffer
-    automaton_stream_parser(const char* data,
-			    const std::string& filename,
-			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
-    ~automaton_stream_parser();
-    parsed_aut_ptr parse(parse_aut_error_list& error_list,
-			 const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
-			 environment& env =
-			 default_environment::instance());
-    // Raises a parse_error on any syntax error
-    twa_graph_ptr parse_strict(const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
-			       environment& env =
-			       default_environment::instance());
-  };
-
-  /// \brief Build a spot::twa_graph from a HOA file or a neverclaim.
-  /// \param filename The name of the file to parse.
-  /// \param error_list A list that will be filled with
-  ///        parse errors that occured during parsing.
-  /// \param dict The BDD dictionary where to use.
-  /// \param env The environment of atomic proposition into which parsing
-  ///        should take place.
-  /// \param opts Additional options to pass to the parser.
-  /// \return A pointer to the tgba built from \a filename, or
-  ///        0 if the file could not be opened.
+  /// \brief Parse a stream of automata
   ///
-  /// Note that the parser usually tries to recover from errors.  It can
-  /// return a non zero value even if it encountered error during the
-  /// parsing of \a filename.  If you want to make sure \a filename
-  /// was parsed succesfully, check \a error_list for emptiness.
+  /// This object should be constructed for a given stream (a file, a
+  /// file descriptor, or a raw buffer), and then it parse() method
+  /// may be called in a loop to parse each automaton in the stream.
+  ///
+  /// Several input formats are supported, and automatically
+  /// recognized: HOA, LBTT, DSTAR, or neverclaim.  We recommend
+  /// using the HOA format, because it is the most general.
   ///
   /// The specification of the HOA format can be found at
   ///    http://adl.github.io/hoaf/
@@ -119,37 +107,78 @@ namespace spot
   /// tool that produce Büchi automata in the form of a neverclaim,
   /// but is not understood by this parser, please report it to
   /// spot@lrde.epita.fr.
+  class SPOT_API automaton_stream_parser final
+  {
+    spot::location last_loc;
+    std::string filename_;
+    automaton_parser_options opts_;
+  public:
+    /// \brief Parse from a file opened file descriptor.
+    ///
+    /// \param filename The file to read from.
+    /// \param opts Parser options.
+    automaton_stream_parser(const std::string& filename,
+			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
+
+    /// \brief Parse from an already opened file descriptor.
+    ///
+    /// \param fd The file descriptor to read from.
+    /// \param filename What to display in error messages.
+    /// \param opts Parser options.
+    automaton_stream_parser(int fd, const std::string& filename,
+			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
+
+    /// \brief Parse from a buffer
+    ///
+    /// \param data The buffer to read from.
+    /// \param filename What to display in error messages.
+    /// \param opts Parser options.
+    automaton_stream_parser(const char* data,
+			    const std::string& filename,
+			    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
+
+    ~automaton_stream_parser();
+
+    /// \brief Parse the next automaton in the stream.
+    ///
+    /// Note that the parser usually tries to recover from errors.  It
+    /// can return an automaton even if it encountered an error during
+    /// parsing.  If you want to make sure the input was parsed
+    /// successfully, make sure \c errors is empty and \c aborted is
+    /// false in the result.  (Testing \c aborted is obviously
+    /// superfluous if the parser is configured to skip aborted
+    /// automata.)
+    ///
+    /// The \c aut field of the result can be null in two conditions:
+    /// some serious error occurred (in this case \c errors is non
+    /// empty), or the end of the stream was reached.
+    ///
+    /// \warning This function is not reentrant.
+    parsed_aut_ptr parse(const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
+			 environment& env =
+			 default_environment::instance());
+  };
+
+  /// \brief Read the first spot::twa_graph from a file.
+  /// \param filename The name of the file to parse.
+  /// \param dict The BDD dictionary where to use.
+  /// \param env The environment of atomic proposition into which parsing
+  ///        should take place.
+  /// \param opts Additional options to pass to the parser.
+  /// \return A pointer to a \c parsed_aut structure.
+  ///
+  /// This is a wrapper around spot::automaton_stream_parser that returns
+  /// the first automaton of the file.  Empty inputs are reported as
+  /// syntax errors, so the \c aut field of the result is guaranteed not
+  /// to be null if \c errors is empty.  (This is unlike
+  /// automaton_stream_parser::parse() where a null \c aut denots the
+  /// end of a stream.)
   ///
   /// \warning This function is not reentrant.
-  inline parsed_aut_ptr
+  SPOT_API parsed_aut_ptr
   parse_aut(const std::string& filename,
-	    parse_aut_error_list& error_list,
 	    const bdd_dict_ptr& dict,
 	    environment& env = default_environment::instance(),
-	    automaton_parser_options opts = {})
-  {
-    try
-      {
-	automaton_stream_parser p(filename, opts);
-	return p.parse(error_list, dict, env);
-      }
-    catch (std::runtime_error& e)
-      {
-	error_list.emplace_back(spot::location(), e.what());
-	return nullptr;
-      }
-  }
-
-  /// \brief Format diagnostics produced by spot::parse_aut.
-  /// \param os Where diagnostics should be output.
-  /// \param filename The filename that should appear in the diagnostics.
-  /// \param error_list The error list filled by spot::parse while
-  ///        parsing \a ltl_string.
-  /// \return \c true iff any diagnostic was output.
-  SPOT_API bool
-  format_parse_aut_errors(std::ostream& os,
-			  const std::string& filename,
-			  parse_aut_error_list& error_list);
-
+	    automaton_parser_options opts = {});
   /// @}
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/complementation.cc b/src/tests/complementation.cc
index 0e86faf54..0574e64c5 100644
--- a/src/tests/complementation.cc
+++ b/src/tests/complementation.cc
@@ -120,9 +120,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   if (print_automaton || print_safra)
   {
     spot::environment& env(spot::default_environment::instance());
-    spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-    auto h = spot::parse_aut(file, pel, dict, env);
-    if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, file, pel))
+    auto h = spot::parse_aut(file, dict, env);
+    if (h->format_errors(std::cerr))
       return 2;
     spot::twa_graph_ptr a = h->aut;
 
@@ -176,10 +175,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
     else
     {
-      spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
-      spot::environment& env(spot::default_environment::instance());
-      auto h = spot::parse_aut(file, pel, dict, env);
-      if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, file, pel))
+      auto h = spot::parse_aut(file, dict);
+      if (h->format_errors(std::cerr))
         return 2;
       a = h->aut;
     }
diff --git a/src/tests/ikwiad.cc b/src/tests/ikwiad.cc
index 35b8dfdcd..8b36dfcc7 100644
--- a/src/tests/ikwiad.cc
+++ b/src/tests/ikwiad.cc
@@ -577,13 +577,10 @@ checked_main(int argc, char** argv)
 	{
 	  tm.start("reading -P's argument");
 
-	  spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
 	  spot::automaton_parser_options opts;
 	  opts.debug = debug_opt;
-	  auto daut = spot::parse_aut(argv[formula_index] + 2, pel,
-				      dict, env, opts);
-	  if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr,
-					    argv[formula_index] + 2, pel))
+	  auto daut = spot::parse_aut(argv[formula_index] + 2, dict, env, opts);
+	  if (daut->format_errors(std::cerr))
 	    return 2;
 	  daut->aut->merge_edges();
 	  system_aut = daut->aut;
@@ -929,13 +926,12 @@ checked_main(int argc, char** argv)
 
       if (from_file)
 	{
-	  spot::parse_aut_error_list pel;
 	  tm.start("parsing hoa");
 	  spot::automaton_parser_options opts;
 	  opts.debug = debug_opt;
-	  auto daut = spot::parse_aut(input, pel, dict, env, opts);
+	  auto daut = spot::parse_aut(input, dict, env, opts);
 	  tm.stop("parsing hoa");
-	  if (spot::format_parse_aut_errors(std::cerr, input, pel))
+	  if (daut->format_errors(std::cerr))
 	    return 2;
 	  daut->aut->merge_edges();
 	  a = daut->aut;
diff --git a/src/tests/ltlcross3.test b/src/tests/ltlcross3.test
index 806a43b6f..91e08c5a0 100755
--- a/src/tests/ltlcross3.test
+++ b/src/tests/ltlcross3.test
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ check_csv out.csv
 
 # Diagnose empty automata, and make sure %% is correctly replaced by %
 run 1 ../../bin/ltlcross ': %f >%O; echo %%>foo' -f a 2>stderr
-test 2 = `grep -c 'error: empty output.' stderr`
+test 2 = `grep -c ':.*empty input' stderr`
 cat foo
 cat >expected<<EOF
 %
diff --git a/src/tests/ltldo.test b/src/tests/ltldo.test
index f48f5c718..d1b33b8d3 100755
--- a/src/tests/ltldo.test
+++ b/src/tests/ltldo.test
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ diff output expected
 
 $ltldo ': %s; true>%O' -f GFa 2>stderr && exit 1
 test $? = 2
-grep 'error: command ".*" produced an empty output.' stderr
+grep ':.*empty input' stderr
 grep 'ltldo: aborting' stderr
 
 $ltldo '{name} foo/bar/ltl2baextended' -f GFa 2>stderr && exit 1
diff --git a/wrap/python/spot.py b/wrap/python/spot.py
index 2c60bd62c..55e145e1d 100644
--- a/wrap/python/spot.py
+++ b/wrap/python/spot.py
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ def automata(*sources, timeout=None, ignore_abort=True,
     o.debug = debug
     o.ignore_abort = ignore_abort
     o.trust_hoa = trust_hoa
+    o.raise_errors = True
     for filename in sources:
         try:
             p = None
@@ -409,7 +410,7 @@ def automata(*sources, timeout=None, ignore_abort=True,
             a = True
             while a:
                 # This returns None when we reach the end of the file.
-                a = p.parse_strict(_bdd_dict)
+                a = p.parse(_bdd_dict).aut
                 if a:
                     yield a
         finally:
diff --git a/wrap/python/tests/parsetgba.py b/wrap/python/tests/parsetgba.py
index 58d52e0dc..cbcacb183 100755
--- a/wrap/python/tests/parsetgba.py
+++ b/wrap/python/tests/parsetgba.py
@@ -32,14 +32,12 @@ out = open(filename, 'w+')
 out.write(contents)
 out.close()
 
-p = spot.empty_parse_aut_error_list()
-a = spot.parse_aut(filename, p, spot.make_bdd_dict())
+a = spot.parse_aut(filename, spot.make_bdd_dict())
 
-assert not p
+assert not a.errors
 
 spot.print_dot(spot.get_cout(), a.aut)
 
-del p
 del a
 
 os.unlink(filename)