diff --git a/weboob/modules.py b/weboob/modules.py
index eaae1ef6..a73f3d99 100644
--- a/weboob/modules.py
+++ b/weboob/modules.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from __future__ import with_statement
 
 import re
 import os
+import stat
 from ConfigParser import SafeConfigParser
 from logging import warning, debug
 
@@ -75,8 +76,15 @@ class Module:
         return self.klass(weboob, name, config)
 
 class BackendsConfig:
+    class WrongPermissions(Exception):
+        pass
+
     def __init__(self, confpath):
         self.confpath = confpath
+        mode = os.stat(confpath).st_mode
+        if mode & stat.S_IRGRP or mode & stat.S_IROTH:
+            raise self.WrongPermissions(
+                u'Weboob will not start until config file %s is readable by group or other users.' % confpath)
 
     def iter_backends(self):
         config = SafeConfigParser()
diff --git a/weboob/tools/application.py b/weboob/tools/application.py
index d1a931ad..5599f801 100644
--- a/weboob/tools/application.py
+++ b/weboob/tools/application.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from functools import partial
 from inspect import getargspec
 
 from weboob import Weboob
+from weboob.modules import BackendsConfig
 
 class BaseApplication(object):
     # Application name
@@ -69,6 +70,13 @@ class BaseApplication(object):
         sys.exit(app.main(sys.argv))
 
 class ConsoleApplication(BaseApplication):
+    def __init__(self):
+        try:
+            BaseApplication.__init__(self)
+        except BackendsConfig.WrongPermissions, e:
+            print >>sys.stderr, 'Error: %s' % e.message
+            sys.exit(1)
+
     def ask(self, question, default=None, masked=False, regexp=None):
         """
         Ask a question to user.