diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHosts.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHosts.java
index 7d71e1aa1..c41b83d7a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHosts.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHosts.java
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ public KnownHostEntry parseEntry(String line)
                 try {
                     byte[] keyBytes = Base64.getDecoder().decode(sKey);
                     key = new Buffer.PlainBuffer(keyBytes).readPublicKey();
-                } catch (IOException ioe) {
-                    log.warn("Error decoding Base64 key bytes", ioe);
+                } catch (IOException | IllegalArgumentException exception) {
+                    log.warn("Error decoding Base64 key bytes", exception);
                     return new BadHostEntry(line);
                 }
             } else if (isBits(sType)) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/hierynomus/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHostsTest.java b/src/test/java/com/hierynomus/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHostsTest.java
index e509656ea..01dbe2f58 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/hierynomus/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHostsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/hierynomus/sshj/transport/verification/OpenSSHKnownHostsTest.java
@@ -23,11 +23,9 @@
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.lang.module.ModuleDescriptor.Opens;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.security.PublicKey;
-import java.security.Security;
 import java.util.Base64;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
@@ -110,6 +108,16 @@ public void shouldNotFailOnBadBase64Entry() throws Exception {
         assertTrue(ohk.verify("host1", 22, k));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void shouldNotFailOnMalformedBase64String() throws IOException {
+        File knownHosts = knownHosts(
+                "1.1.1.1 ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 AAAAE2VjZHNhLXNoYTItbmlzdHAyNTYAAAAIbmlzdHAyNTYAAABBBA/CkqWXSlbdo7jPshvIWT/m3FAdpSIKUx/uTmz87ObpBxXsfF8aMSiwGMKHjqviTV4cG6F7vFf28ll+9CbGsbs=192\n"
+        );
+        OpenSSHKnownHosts ohk = new OpenSSHKnownHosts(knownHosts);
+        assertEquals(1, ohk.entries().size());
+        assertThat(ohk.entries().get(0)).isInstanceOf(OpenSSHKnownHosts.BadHostEntry.class);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void shouldMarkBadLineAndNotFail() throws Exception {
         File knownHosts = knownHosts(