diff --git a/src/rxn/chemutils/smiles_augmenter.py b/src/rxn/chemutils/smiles_augmenter.py
index acd47f0..bf344c1 100644
--- a/src/rxn/chemutils/smiles_augmenter.py
+++ b/src/rxn/chemutils/smiles_augmenter.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
+import logging
 import random
 from typing import Callable, List
 
 from .miscellaneous import apply_to_any_smiles, apply_to_smiles_groups
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+logger.addHandler(logging.NullHandler())
+
 
 class SmilesAugmenter:
     """
@@ -15,6 +19,7 @@ def __init__(
         augmentation_fn: Callable[[str], str],
         augmentation_probability: float = 1.0,
         shuffle: bool = True,
+        ignore_exceptions: bool = True,
     ):
         """
         Args:
@@ -23,10 +28,14 @@ def __init__(
             augmentation_probability: Probability with which to augment individual
                 SMILES strings.
             shuffle: Whether to shuffle the order of the compounds.
+            ignore_exceptions: Whether to ignore the error (and return the
+                original string) when an augmentation fails. If False, exceptions
+                will be propagated.
         """
         self.augmentation_fn = augmentation_fn
         self.augmentation_probability = augmentation_probability
         self.shuffle = shuffle
+        self.ignore_exceptions = ignore_exceptions
 
     def augment(self, smiles: str, number_augmentations: int) -> List[str]:
         """
@@ -61,7 +70,14 @@ def _augment_with_probability(self, smiles: str) -> str:
             self.augmentation_probability == 1.0
             or random.uniform(0, 1) <= self.augmentation_probability
         ):
-            return self.augmentation_fn(smiles)
+            try:
+                return self.augmentation_fn(smiles)
+            except Exception as e:
+                if self.ignore_exceptions:
+                    logger.warning(f"Augmentation failed for {smiles}: {e}")
+                    return smiles
+                else:
+                    raise
 
         # no augmentation
         return smiles
diff --git a/tests/test_smiles_augmenter.py b/tests/test_smiles_augmenter.py
index 71729ae..ed0ef0d 100644
--- a/tests/test_smiles_augmenter.py
+++ b/tests/test_smiles_augmenter.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import random
 
+import pytest
 from rxn.utilities.basic import identity
 from rxn.utilities.containers import all_identical
 
+from rxn.chemutils.exceptions import InvalidSmiles
 from rxn.chemutils.smiles_augmenter import SmilesAugmenter
 from rxn.chemutils.smiles_randomization import randomize_smiles_rotated
 
@@ -136,3 +138,19 @@ def test_reproducibility() -> None:
     # sampling one more time without resetting the seed -> results change
     results.append(augmenter.augment(rxn_smiles_3, 5))
     assert not all_identical(results)
+
+
+def test_augmentation_errors() -> None:
+    augmenter = SmilesAugmenter(
+        augmentation_fn=randomize_smiles_rotated, ignore_exceptions=True
+    )
+
+    invalid_smiles = "thisisinvalid"
+
+    # When errors are ignored: returns the original input
+    assert augmenter.augment(invalid_smiles, 1) == [invalid_smiles]
+
+    # When errors are not ignored: raises an exception
+    augmenter.ignore_exceptions = False
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidSmiles):
+        _ = augmenter.augment(invalid_smiles, 1)