diff --git a/freqtrade/exchange/exchange.py b/freqtrade/exchange/exchange.py
index b649a7b65..cefee999c 100644
--- a/freqtrade/exchange/exchange.py
+++ b/freqtrade/exchange/exchange.py
@@ -269,6 +269,13 @@ class Exchange(object):
         """
         Checks if ticker interval from config is a supported timeframe on the exchange
         """
+        logger.warning("validate_timerames")
+        if not hasattr(self._api, "timeframes"):
+            # If timeframes is missing, the exchange probably has no fetchOHLCV method.
+            # Therefore we also show that.
+            raise OperationalException(
+                f"This exchange ({self.name}) does not have a `timeframes` attribute and "
+                f"is therefore not supported. fetchOHLCV: {self.exchange_has('fetchOHLCV')}")
         timeframes = self._api.timeframes
         if timeframe not in timeframes:
             raise OperationalException(
diff --git a/freqtrade/resolvers/exchange_resolver.py b/freqtrade/resolvers/exchange_resolver.py
index 25a86dd0e..089f6306f 100644
--- a/freqtrade/resolvers/exchange_resolver.py
+++ b/freqtrade/resolvers/exchange_resolver.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class ExchangeResolver(IResolver):
         except ImportError:
             logger.info(
                 f"No {exchange_name} specific subclass found. Using the generic class instead.")
+        if not hasattr(self, "exchange"):
             self.exchange = Exchange(config)
 
     def _load_exchange(