diff --git a/include/dmlc/any.h b/include/dmlc/any.h
index 5707a363db99..d32e44e48c4d 100644
--- a/include/dmlc/any.h
+++ b/include/dmlc/any.h
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ inline const std::type_info& any::type() const {
 template<typename T>
 inline void any::check_type() const {
   CHECK(type_ != nullptr)
-      << "The any container is empty";
+      << "The any container is empty"
+      << " requested=" << typeid(T).name();
   CHECK(type_->ptype_info == &typeid(T))
       << "The stored type mismatch"
       << " stored=" << type_->ptype_info->name()
diff --git a/include/dmlc/parameter.h b/include/dmlc/parameter.h
index 2fbab2a44e32..0222df60664d 100644
--- a/include/dmlc/parameter.h
+++ b/include/dmlc/parameter.h
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ class FieldEntry;
 // forward declare ParamManagerSingleton
 template<typename PType>
 struct ParamManagerSingleton;
+
+/*! \brief option in parameter initialization */
+enum ParamInitOption {
+  /*! \brief allow unknown parameters */
+  kAllowUnknown,
+  /*! \brief need to match exact parameters */
+  kAllMatch
+};
 }  // namespace parameter
 /*!
  * \brief Information about a parameter field in string representations.
@@ -108,13 +116,17 @@ struct Parameter {
    *  and throw error if something wrong happens.
    *
    * \param kwargs map of keyword arguments, or vector of pairs
+   * \parma option The option on initialization.
    * \tparam Container container type
    * \throw ParamError when something go wrong.
    */
   template<typename Container>
-  inline void Init(const Container &kwargs) {
+  inline void Init(const Container &kwargs,
+                   parameter::ParamInitOption option = parameter::kAllowUnknown) {
     PType::__MANAGER__()->RunInit(static_cast<PType*>(this),
-                                  kwargs.begin(), kwargs.end(), NULL);
+                                  kwargs.begin(), kwargs.end(),
+                                  NULL,
+                                  option == parameter::kAllowUnknown);
   }
   /*!
    * \brief initialize the parameter by keyword arguments.
@@ -130,7 +142,8 @@ struct Parameter {
   InitAllowUnknown(const Container &kwargs) {
     std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > unknown;
     PType::__MANAGER__()->RunInit(static_cast<PType*>(this),
-                                  kwargs.begin(), kwargs.end(), &unknown);
+                                  kwargs.begin(), kwargs.end(),
+                                  &unknown, true);
     return unknown;
   }
   /*!
@@ -355,7 +368,8 @@ class ParamManager {
   inline void RunInit(void *head,
                       RandomAccessIterator begin,
                       RandomAccessIterator end,
-                      std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > *unknown_args) const {
+                      std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > *unknown_args,
+                      bool allow_unknown) const {
     std::set<FieldAccessEntry*> selected_args;
     for (RandomAccessIterator it = begin; it != end; ++it) {
       FieldAccessEntry *e = Find(it->first);
@@ -367,11 +381,13 @@ class ParamManager {
         if (unknown_args != NULL) {
           unknown_args->push_back(*it);
         } else {
-          std::ostringstream os;
-          os << "Cannot find argument \'" << it->first << "\', Possible Arguments:\n";
-          os << "----------------\n";
-          PrintDocString(os);
-          throw dmlc::ParamError(os.str());
+          if (!allow_unknown) {
+            std::ostringstream os;
+            os << "Cannot find argument \'" << it->first << "\', Possible Arguments:\n";
+            os << "----------------\n";
+            PrintDocString(os);
+            throw dmlc::ParamError(os.str());
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/test/parameter_test.cc b/test/parameter_test.cc
index a3411adcf7f8..c49b8f5288ba 100644
--- a/test/parameter_test.cc
+++ b/test/parameter_test.cc
@@ -46,16 +46,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   printf("Parameters\n-----------\n%s", Param::__DOC__().c_str());
   std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string> > unknown;
   unknown = param.InitAllowUnknown(kwargs);
-  unknown = param2.InitAllowUnknown(unknown);
+  param2.Init(unknown);
+
 
-  if (unknown.size() != 0) {
-    std::ostringstream os;
-    os << "Cannot find argument \'" << unknown[0].first << "\', Possible Arguments:\n";
-    os << "----------------\n";
-    os << param.__DOC__();
-    os << param2.__DOC__();
-    throw dmlc::ParamError(os.str());
-  }
   printf("-----\n");
   printf("param.num_hidden=%d\n", param.num_hidden);
   printf("param.learning_rate=%f\n", param.learning_rate);