diff --git a/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/source.py b/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/source.py
index 990f5a0e0876..699974ef816a 100644
--- a/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/source.py
+++ b/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/source.py
@@ -89,7 +89,12 @@ def is_metrics_in_custom_query(query: GAQL) -> bool:
         return False
 
     def check_connection(self, logger: logging.Logger, config: Mapping[str, Any]) -> Tuple[bool, any]:
-        config = self._validate_and_transform(config)
+        try:
+            config = self._validate_and_transform(config)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            return False, f"error while validating custom query: {repr(e)}"
+        except Exception as e:
+            return False, f"error: {repr(e)}"
         try:
             logger.info("Checking the config")
             google_api = GoogleAds(credentials=self.get_credentials(config))
diff --git a/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/utils.py b/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/utils.py
index 53c03616dd10..7c012ece757c 100644
--- a/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/utils.py
+++ b/airbyte-integrations/connectors/source-google-ads/source_google_ads/utils.py
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ class GAQL:
     def parse(cls, query):
         m = cls.REGEX.match(query)
         if not m:
-            raise Exception(f"incorrect GAQL query statement: {repr(query)}")
+            raise ValueError(f"incorrect GAQL query statement: {repr(query)}")
 
         fields = [f.strip() for f in m.group("FieldNames").split(",")]
         for field in fields:
             if not cls.REGEX_FIELD_NAME.match(field):
-                raise Exception(f"incorrect GAQL query statement: {repr(query)}")
+                raise ValueError(f"incorrect GAQL query statement: {repr(query)}")
 
         resource_name = m.group("ResourceName")
         where = cls._normalize(m.group("WhereClause") or "")