diff --git a/app/Export/Collector/AttachmentCollector.php b/app/Export/Collector/AttachmentCollector.php
index 0caa41be07..976fa4b5cc 100644
--- a/app/Export/Collector/AttachmentCollector.php
+++ b/app/Export/Collector/AttachmentCollector.php
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@ declare(strict_types = 1);
 
 namespace FireflyIII\Export\Collector;
 
+use Amount;
 use Auth;
 use Crypt;
 use FireflyIII\Models\Attachment;
 use FireflyIII\Models\ExportJob;
+use FireflyIII\Models\TransactionJournal;
+use Illuminate\Contracts\Encryption\DecryptException;
 use Log;
 
 /**
@@ -23,6 +26,9 @@ use Log;
  */
 class AttachmentCollector extends BasicCollector implements CollectorInterface
 {
+    /** @var string */
+    private $explanationString = '';
+
     /**
      * AttachmentCollector constructor.
      *
@@ -48,12 +54,39 @@ class AttachmentCollector extends BasicCollector implements CollectorInterface
             $originalFile = storage_path('upload') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'at-' . $attachment->id . '.data';
             if (file_exists($originalFile)) {
                 Log::debug('Stored 1 attachment');
-                $decrypted = Crypt::decrypt(file_get_contents($originalFile));
-                $newFile   = storage_path('export') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $this->job->key . '-Attachment nr. ' . $attachment->id . ' - '
-                             . $attachment->filename;
-                file_put_contents($newFile, $decrypted);
-                $this->getFiles()->push($newFile);
+                try {
+                    $decrypted = Crypt::decrypt(file_get_contents($originalFile));
+                    $newFile   = storage_path('export') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $this->job->key . '-Attachment nr. ' . $attachment->id . ' - '
+                                 . $attachment->filename;
+                    file_put_contents($newFile, $decrypted);
+                    $this->getFiles()->push($newFile);
+
+                    // explain:
+                    $this->explain($attachment);
+                } catch (DecryptException $e) {
+                    Log::error('Catchable error: could not decrypt attachment #' . $attachment->id);
+                }
+
             }
         }
+
+        // put the explanation string in a file and attach it as well.
+        $explanationFile = storage_path('export') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $this->job->key . '-Source of all your attachments explained.txt';
+        file_put_contents($explanationFile, $this->explanationString);
+        $this->getFiles()->push($explanationFile);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param Attachment $attachment
+     */
+    private function explain(Attachment $attachment)
+    {
+        /** @var TransactionJournal $journal */
+        $journal = $attachment->attachable;
+        $string  = 'Attachment #' . $attachment->id . ' is part of ' . strtolower($journal->transactionType->type) . ' #' . $journal->id
+                   . ', with description "' . $journal->description . '". This transaction was for ' . Amount::formatJournal($journal, false) .
+                   ' and occured on ' . $journal->date->formatLocalized(config('config.month_and_day')) . "\n\n";
+        $this->explanationString .= $string;
+
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/Export/Collector/UploadCollector.php b/app/Export/Collector/UploadCollector.php
index 803a7473c1..e88a2b8266 100644
--- a/app/Export/Collector/UploadCollector.php
+++ b/app/Export/Collector/UploadCollector.php
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ namespace FireflyIII\Export\Collector;
 use Auth;
 use Crypt;
 use FireflyIII\Models\ExportJob;
-
+use Illuminate\Contracts\Encryption\DecryptException;
+use Log;
 /**
  * Class UploadCollector
  *
@@ -45,19 +46,23 @@ class UploadCollector extends BasicCollector implements CollectorInterface
         $len      = strlen($expected);
         foreach ($files as $entry) {
             if (substr($entry, 0, $len) === $expected) {
-                // this is an original upload.
-                $parts          = explode('-', str_replace(['.csv.encrypted', $expected], '', $entry));
-                $originalUpload = intval($parts[1]);
-                $date           = date('Y-m-d \a\t H-i-s', $originalUpload);
-                $newFileName    = 'Old CSV import dated ' . $date . '.csv';
-                $content        = Crypt::decrypt(file_get_contents($path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $entry));
-                $fullPath       = storage_path('export') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $this->job->key . '-' . $newFileName;
+                try {
+                    // this is an original upload.
+                    $parts          = explode('-', str_replace(['.csv.encrypted', $expected], '', $entry));
+                    $originalUpload = intval($parts[1]);
+                    $date           = date('Y-m-d \a\t H-i-s', $originalUpload);
+                    $newFileName    = 'Old CSV import dated ' . $date . '.csv';
+                    $content        = Crypt::decrypt(file_get_contents($path . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $entry));
+                    $fullPath       = storage_path('export') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $this->job->key . '-' . $newFileName;
 
-                // write to file:
-                file_put_contents($fullPath, $content);
+                    // write to file:
+                    file_put_contents($fullPath, $content);
 
-                // add entry to set:
-                $this->getFiles()->push($fullPath);
+                    // add entry to set:
+                    $this->getFiles()->push($fullPath);
+                } catch (DecryptException $e) {
+                    Log::error('Could not decrypt old CSV import file ' . $entry . '. Skipped.');
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ReportController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ReportController.php
index 11d837dad1..6fa0f87b63 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ReportController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ReportController.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class ReportController extends Controller
     public function index(ARI $repository)
     {
         /** @var Carbon $start */
-        $start            = session('first');
+        $start            = clone session('first');
         $months           = $this->helper->listOfMonths($start);
         $customFiscalYear = Preferences::get('customFiscalYear', 0)->data;
 
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/ExportFormRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/ExportFormRequest.php
index 44d7d3f95a..d88b10702f 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/ExportFormRequest.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/ExportFormRequest.php
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ class ExportFormRequest extends Request
      */
     public function rules()
     {
-        $first   = session('first')->subDay()->format('Y-m-d');
+        $sessionFirst = clone session('first');
+
+        $first   = $sessionFirst->subDay()->format('Y-m-d');
         $today   = Carbon::create()->addDay()->format('Y-m-d');
         $formats = join(',', array_keys(config('firefly.export_formats')));
 
diff --git a/public/js/export/index.js b/public/js/export/index.js
index a44fe721c7..0e29d12da5 100644
--- a/public/js/export/index.js
+++ b/public/js/export/index.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function startExport() {
     console.log('Start export...');
     hideForm();
     showLoading();
+    hideError();
 
     // do export
     callExport();
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ function startExport() {
     return false;
 }
 
+function hideError() {
+    "use strict";
+    $('#export-error').hide();
+}
 
 function hideForm() {
     "use strict";
diff --git a/resources/lang/en_US/firefly.php b/resources/lang/en_US/firefly.php
index 926f2fd235..790c2b5bbe 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en_US/firefly.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en_US/firefly.php
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ return [
     'export_status_creating_zip_file'           => 'Creating a zip file...',
     'export_status_created_zip_file'            => 'Created a zip file!',
     'export_status_finished'                    => 'Export has succesfully finished! Yay!',
+    'export_data_please_wait'                   => 'Please wait...',
 
     // rules
     'rules'                                     => 'Rules',