diff --git a/src/rod/sdf/sdf.py b/src/rod/sdf/sdf.py
index 6874239..e9b111d 100644
--- a/src/rod/sdf/sdf.py
+++ b/src/rod/sdf/sdf.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def load(sdf: pathlib.Path | str, is_urdf: bool | None = None) -> Sdf:
         try:
             xml_dict = xmltodict.parse(xml_input=sdf_string)
         except Exception as exc:
-            raise exc("Failed to parse 'sdf' argument") from exc
+            raise RuntimeError("Failed to parse 'sdf' argument") from exc
 
         # Look for the top-level <sdf> element
         try: