diff --git a/hexrd/nf_config/experiment.py b/hexrd/nf_config/experiment.py
index 0d9c1b0da..fc5a55a03 100644
--- a/hexrd/nf_config/experiment.py
+++ b/hexrd/nf_config/experiment.py
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ def chi2_thresh(self):
     @property
     def misorientation(self):
         key = self._cfg.get('experiment:misorientation:use_misorientation')
-        if key is True:
+        if key not in [True, False, None]:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'use_misorientation must be of type bool'
+            )
+        if key:
             return {
                 'misorientation_bnd': 'experiment:bnd',
                 'misorientation_spacing': 'experiment:spacing',
diff --git a/hexrd/sampleOrientations/conversions.py b/hexrd/sampleOrientations/conversions.py
index 01f51c1df..59815e401 100644
--- a/hexrd/sampleOrientations/conversions.py
+++ b/hexrd/sampleOrientations/conversions.py
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@
 sc = constants.sc
 
 @numba_njit_if_available(cache=True, nogil=True)
-def getPyramid(xyz):
+def getPyramid(xyz : np.ndarray):
     try:
         x, y, z = xyz
-    except Exception as exc:
+    except (TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
         raise ValueError("xyz must be a 3-element array") from exc
-        
+
     if (np.abs(x) <= z) and (np.abs(y) <= z):
         return 1