--- a/scripts/install-i18n.py	Wed Sep 04 20:01:53 2019 +0200
+++ b/scripts/install-i18n.py	Thu Sep 05 18:47:56 2019 +0200
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@
 except ImportError:
     print("The eric6 IDE doesn't seem to be installed. Aborting.")
     sys.exit(1)
+except SyntaxError:
+    # an incomplete or old config file was found
+    print("The eric6 IDE seems to be installed incompletely. Aborting.")
+    sys.exit(1)
     
 
 def getConfigDir():