diff --git a/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole.py b/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole.py
+++ b/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole.py
@@ -1556,7 +1556,15 @@ class IPythonConsole(SpyderPluginWidget):
                 stderr = None

         else:

             stderr = None

-        kernel_manager.start_kernel(stderr=stderr)

+

+        # Catch any error generated when trying to start the kernel

+        # See issue 7302

+        try:

+            kernel_manager.start_kernel(stderr=stderr)

+        except Exception:

+            error_msg = _("The error is:<br><br>"

+                          "<tt>{}</tt>").format(traceback.format_exc())

+            return (error_msg, None)

 

         # Kernel client

         kernel_client = kernel_manager.client()
IPython console: Catch any error generated when trying to start kernels