diff --git a/freqtrade/configuration.py b/freqtrade/configuration.py
index 1f6cea4e6..10768db55 100644
--- a/freqtrade/configuration.py
+++ b/freqtrade/configuration.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ This module contains the configuration class
 import json
 from argparse import Namespace
 from typing import Dict, Any
-
 from jsonschema import Draft4Validator, validate
 from jsonschema.exceptions import ValidationError, best_match
+import ccxt
 
+from freqtrade import OperationalException
 from freqtrade.constants import Constants
 from freqtrade.logger import Logger
 
@@ -100,6 +101,9 @@ class Configuration(object):
             else:
                 self.logger.info('Dry run is disabled. (--dry_run_db ignored)')
 
+        # Check if the exchange set by the user is supported
+        self.check_exchange()
+
         return config
 
     def _load_backtesting_config(self, config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
@@ -198,3 +202,23 @@ class Configuration(object):
             self.config = self.load_config()
 
         return self.config
+
+    def check_exchange(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        Check if the exchange name in the config file is supported by Freqtrade
+        :return: True or raised an exception if the exchange if not supported
+        """
+        exchange = self.config.get('exchange', {}).get('name').lower()
+        if exchange not in ccxt.exchanges:
+
+            exception_msg = 'Exchange "{}" not supported.\n' \
+                            'The following exchanges are supported: {}'\
+                .format(exchange, ', '.join(ccxt.exchanges))
+
+            self.logger.critical(exception_msg)
+            raise OperationalException(
+                exception_msg
+            )
+
+        self.logger.debug('Exchange "%s" supported', exchange)
+        return True
diff --git a/freqtrade/exchange/__init__.py b/freqtrade/exchange/__init__.py
index 2c4136cab..20ea4f43e 100644
--- a/freqtrade/exchange/__init__.py
+++ b/freqtrade/exchange/__init__.py
@@ -74,16 +74,14 @@ def init(config: dict) -> None:
     # Find matching class for the given exchange name
     name = exchange_config['name']
 
-    # TODO add check for a list of supported exchanges
-
+    # Init the exchange if the exchange name passed is supported
     try:
-        # exchange_class = Exchanges[name.upper()].value
         _API = getattr(ccxt, name.lower())({
             'apiKey': exchange_config.get('key'),
             'secret': exchange_config.get('secret'),
         })
         logger.info('Using Exchange %s', name.capitalize())
-    except KeyError:
+    except (KeyError, AttributeError):
         raise OperationalException('Exchange {} is not supported'.format(name))
 
     # we need load api markets
diff --git a/freqtrade/tests/test_configuration.py b/freqtrade/tests/test_configuration.py
index 002eac722..f43c29b43 100644
--- a/freqtrade/tests/test_configuration.py
+++ b/freqtrade/tests/test_configuration.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from jsonschema import ValidationError
 from freqtrade.arguments import Arguments
 from freqtrade.configuration import Configuration
 from freqtrade.tests.conftest import log_has
+from freqtrade import OperationalException
 
 
 def test_configuration_object() -> None:
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ def test_configuration_object() -> None:
     assert hasattr(Configuration, 'get_config')
 
 
-def test_load_config_invalid_pair(default_conf, mocker) -> None:
+def test_load_config_invalid_pair(default_conf) -> None:
     """
     Test the configuration validator with an invalid PAIR format
     """
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ def test_load_config_invalid_pair(default_conf, mocker) -> None:
         configuration._validate_config(conf)
 
 
-def test_load_config_missing_attributes(default_conf, mocker) -> None:
+def test_load_config_missing_attributes(default_conf) -> None:
     """
     Test the configuration validator with a missing attribute
     """
@@ -314,3 +315,31 @@ def test_hyperopt_with_arguments(mocker, default_conf, caplog) -> None:
     assert 'spaces' in config
     assert config['spaces'] == ['all']
     assert log_has('Parameter -s/--spaces detected: [\'all\']', caplog.record_tuples)
+
+
+def test_check_exchange(default_conf) -> None:
+    """
+    Test the configuration validator with a missing attribute
+    """
+    conf = deepcopy(default_conf)
+    configuration = Configuration([])
+
+    # Test a valid exchange
+    conf.get('exchange').update({'name': 'BITTREX'})
+    configuration.config = conf
+    assert configuration.check_exchange()
+
+    # Test a valid exchange
+    conf.get('exchange').update({'name': 'binance'})
+    configuration.config = conf
+    assert configuration.check_exchange()
+
+    # Test a invalid exchange
+    conf.get('exchange').update({'name': 'unknown_exchange'})
+    configuration.config = conf
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+        OperationalException,
+        match=r'.*Exchange "unknown_exchange" not supported.*'
+    ):
+        configuration.check_exchange()