diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 07102c211..6561e449c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.25)
 project(
   daisy
-  VERSION 7.1.4
+  VERSION 7.1.5
   DESCRIPTION "Mechanistic simulation of agricultural fields"
   HOMEPAGE_URL https://daisy.ku.dk/
   LANGUAGES CXX C
diff --git a/src/daisy/chemicals/adsorption_Python.C b/src/daisy/chemicals/adsorption_Python.C
index 6fbc7598a..1b3f84870 100644
--- a/src/daisy/chemicals/adsorption_Python.C
+++ b/src/daisy/chemicals/adsorption_Python.C
@@ -66,10 +66,11 @@ struct AdsorptionPython : public Adsorption
 	  {
 	    py_module = pybind11::module::import (pmodule.name ().c_str ());
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Could not find Python module '"
 				+ pmodule + ".");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	    state = state_t::error;
 	    return;
 	  }
@@ -79,10 +80,11 @@ struct AdsorptionPython : public Adsorption
 	  {
 	    py_C_to_M = py_module.attr(pC_to_M.name ().c_str ());
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Can't find Python function '"
 				+ pC_to_M + "' in '" + pmodule + "'.");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	    state = state_t::error;
 	    return;
 	  }
@@ -93,10 +95,11 @@ struct AdsorptionPython : public Adsorption
 	    {
 	      py_M_to_C = py_module.attr(pM_to_C.name ().c_str ());
 	    }
-	  catch (...)
+	  catch (std::exception &e)
 	    {
 	      Assertion::message ("Can't find Python function '"
 				  + pM_to_C + "' in '" + pmodule + "'.");
+          Assertion::message (e.what());
 	      state = state_t::error;
 	      return;
 	    }
@@ -141,10 +144,11 @@ public:
 	pybind11::object py_object = py_C_to_M (**kwargs);
 	return py_object.cast<double> ();
       }
-    catch (...)
+    catch (std::exception &e)
       {
 	Assertion::message ("Call to Python function '"
 			    + pC_to_M + "' in '" + pmodule + "' failed");
+    Assertion::message (e.what());
 	const double Theta_sat = soil.Theta_sat (i);	// [cm^3 W/cm^3 Sp]
 	const double rho_b = soil.dry_bulk_density (i); // [g/cm^3 Sp]
 	const double f_OC = soil.humus (i) * c_fraction_in_humus; // [g/g]
@@ -204,10 +208,11 @@ public:
 	pybind11::object py_object = py_M_to_C (**kwargs);
 	return py_object.cast<double> ();
       }
-    catch (...)
+    catch (std::exception &e)
       {
 	Assertion::message ("Call to Python function '"
 			    + pM_to_C + "' in '" + pmodule + "' failed");
+    Assertion::message (e.what());
 	const double Theta_sat = soil.Theta_sat (i);	// [cm^3 W/cm^3 Sp]
 	const double rho_b = soil.dry_bulk_density (i); // [g/cm^3 Sp]
 	const double f_OC = soil.humus (i) * c_fraction_in_humus; // [g/g]
diff --git a/src/daisy/chemicals/reaction_Python.C b/src/daisy/chemicals/reaction_Python.C
index ee302ece8..ae8bb224a 100644
--- a/src/daisy/chemicals/reaction_Python.C
+++ b/src/daisy/chemicals/reaction_Python.C
@@ -169,10 +169,11 @@ struct ReactionPython : public Reaction
 		array[i] = value;
 	      }
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    msg.error ("Call to Python function '"
 		       + psoil + "' in '" + pmodule + "' failed");
+        msg.error (e.what());
 	    state = state_t::error;
 	    break;
 	  }
@@ -201,10 +202,11 @@ struct ReactionPython : public Reaction
       {
 	pybind11::object py_object = py_top ();
       }
-    catch (...)
+    catch (std::exception &e)
       {
 	msg.error ("Call to Python function '"
 		   + ptop + "' in '" + pmodule + "' failed");
+    msg.error (e.what());
 	state = state_t::error;
       }
     return;
@@ -251,15 +253,15 @@ struct ReactionPython : public Reaction
       case state_t::working:
 	return;
       case state_t::uninitialized:
-	// Find module.
 	try
 	  {
 	    py_module = pybind11::module::import (pmodule.name ().c_str ());
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Could not find Python module '"
 				+ pmodule + "'.");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	    state = state_t::error;
 	    return;
 	  }
@@ -270,10 +272,11 @@ struct ReactionPython : public Reaction
 	    {
 	      py_soil = py_module.attr(psoil.name ().c_str ());
 	    }
-	  catch (...)
+	  catch (std::exception &e)
 	    {
 	      Assertion::message ("Can't find Python function '"
 				  + psoil + "' in '" + pmodule + "'.");
+          Assertion::message (e.what());
 	      state = state_t::error;
 	      return;
 	    }
@@ -284,10 +287,11 @@ struct ReactionPython : public Reaction
 	    {
 	      py_top = py_module.attr(ptop.name ().c_str ());
 	    }
-	  catch (...)
+	  catch (std::exception &e)
 	    {
 	      Assertion::message ("Can't find Python function '"
 				  + ptop + "' in '" + pmodule + "'.");
+          Assertion::message (e.what());
 	      state = state_t::error;
 	      return;
 	    }
diff --git a/src/object_model/function_Python.C b/src/object_model/function_Python.C
index 4ab6d941f..530a83b3b 100644
--- a/src/object_model/function_Python.C
+++ b/src/object_model/function_Python.C
@@ -53,10 +53,11 @@ struct FunctionPython : public Function
 	  {
 	    py_module = pybind11::module::import (pmodule.name ().c_str ());
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Could not find Python module '"
 				+ pmodule + ".");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	    break;
 	  }
 
@@ -65,10 +66,11 @@ struct FunctionPython : public Function
 	  {
 	    py_function = py_module.attr(pname.name ().c_str ());
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Can't find Python function '"
 				+ pname + "' in '" + pmodule + "'.");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	    break;
 	  }
 	state = state_t::working;
@@ -79,10 +81,11 @@ struct FunctionPython : public Function
 	    pybind11::object py_object = py_function (arg);
 	    return py_object.cast<double> ();
 	  }
-	catch (...)
+	catch (std::exception &e)
 	  {
 	    Assertion::message ("Call to Python function '"
 				+ pname + "' in '" + pmodule + "' failed.");
+        Assertion::message (e.what());
 	  }
       }
     state = state_t::error;
diff --git a/src/object_model/toplevel.C b/src/object_model/toplevel.C
index 438af46fc..666f1aeaa 100644
--- a/src/object_model/toplevel.C
+++ b/src/object_model/toplevel.C
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 struct Toplevel::Implementation : boost::noncopyable
 {
 #ifdef BUILD_PYTHON
+  // Start python interpreter
   pybind11::scoped_interpreter guard;
 #endif
   const symbol preferred_ui;
@@ -506,6 +507,14 @@ Toplevel::command_line (int& argc, char**& argv)
     }
 #endif // _WIN32
 
+#ifdef BUILD_PYTHON
+  // Add any extra input directories to the python path
+  // This makes it possible for spawn programs that run in a subdirectory to access python files in
+  // the current directory.
+  pybind11::module_ sys = pybind11::module_::import("sys");
+  pybind11::list path = sys.attr("path");
+#endif
+
   // Loop over all arguments.
   bool options_finished = false; // "--" ends command line options.
 
@@ -527,6 +536,11 @@ Toplevel::command_line (int& argc, char**& argv)
 	      {
 		const std::string dir = get_arg (argc, argv);
 		impl->metalib.path ().set_input_directory (dir);
+#ifdef BUILD_PYTHON
+        // Add input directory to python path
+        path.append(dir);
+        msg().message ("Adding '" + dir + "' to pythonpath");
+# endif
 	      }
 	      break;
 	    case 'd':