diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/Utils.kt b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/Utils.kt
index 4f5c9a5..4a0db27 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/Utils.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/Utils.kt
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import org.gradle.api.GradleException
 import java.io.File
 import java.io.FileInputStream
 import java.io.FileOutputStream
+import java.io.IOException
 import java.util.Properties
 
 /**
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ object Utils {
                 if (!exists() && createNewFile()) {
                     isNew = true
                 }
-            } catch (e: Exception) {
+            } catch (e: IOException) {
                 throw GradleException("Unable to create: `$absoluteFile`", e)
             }
             if (canReadFile()) {
@@ -131,26 +132,29 @@ object Utils {
         if (input.isNullOrBlank()) return false
 
         try {
+            val max = 5
+            val min = 3
+
             val parts = input.split(
                 Regex("[\\Q${version.separator}${version.preReleasePrefix}${version.buildMetaPrefix}\\E]"),
-                5
+                max
             )
 
-            if (parts.size >= 3) {
+            if (parts.size >= min) {
                 version.major = parts[0].toInt()
                 version.minor = parts[1].toInt()
                 version.patch = parts[2].toInt()
                 version.preRelease = ""
                 version.buildMeta = ""
 
-                if (parts.size > 3) {
+                if (parts.size > min) {
                     when {
-                        parts.size == 5 -> {
+                        parts.size == max -> {
                             version.preRelease = parts[3]
                             version.buildMeta = parts[4]
                         }
                         parts.size == 4 -> {
-                            if (input.contains(version.buildMetaPrefix)) {
+                            if (input.endsWith(version.buildMetaPrefix + parts[3])) {
                                 version.buildMeta = parts[3]
                             } else {
                                 version.preRelease = parts[3]
@@ -208,11 +212,11 @@ object Utils {
                             store(it, "Generated by the Semver Plugin for Gradle")
                         }
                     } else {
-                        throw GradleException()
+                        throw IOException("Can't write.")
                     }
                 }
-            } catch (e: Exception) {
-                throw GradleException("Unable to write version to: `${propsFile.absoluteFile}`")
+            } catch (e: IOException) {
+                throw GradleException("Unable to write version to: `${propsFile.absoluteFile}`", e)
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/UtilsSpec.kt b/src/test/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/UtilsSpec.kt
index 578dc80..c0a3adc 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/UtilsSpec.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/gradle/semver/UtilsSpec.kt
@@ -152,8 +152,10 @@ object UtilsSpec : Spek({
             }
         }
 
-        Scenario("Testing Version Parsing") {
-            When("validating version parsing") {
+        Scenario("Version Parsing") {
+            When("validating version parsing") {}
+
+            Then("versions should parse") {
                 listOf(
                     "1.0.0",
                     "2.1.0-beta",
@@ -168,19 +170,34 @@ object UtilsSpec : Spek({
                 }
             }
 
+            Then("should throw exceptions") {
+                assertFailsWith<GradleException> {
+                    Utils.parseSemVer("2.1.1a", version)
+                }
+                assertFailsWith<GradleException> {
+                    Utils.parseSemVer("2a.1.1", version)
+                }
+                assertFailsWith<GradleException> {
+                    Utils.parseSemVer("2.1a.1", version)
+                }
+                assertFailsWith<GradleException> {
+                    Utils.parseSemVer("2.1", version)
+                }
+            }
+
             Given("new prefixes") {
                 version.preReleasePrefix = "."
                 version.buildMetaPrefix = "."
             }
 
-            Then("validating prefixes parsing") {
+            Then("prefixes should parse") {
                 listOf("2.1.0.beta.1", "2.1.1.1", "3.2.1.beta.1.007").forEach {
                     assertTrue(Utils.parseSemVer(it, version), "parsing semver: $it")
                     assertEquals(it, version.semver, it)
                 }
             }
 
-            Then("verifying pre-release and meta") {
+            Then("last pre-release and meta should match") {
                 assertEquals(version.preRelease, "beta")
                 assertEquals(version.buildMeta, "1.007")
             }