diff --git a/gns3server/controller/controller_error.py b/gns3server/controller/controller_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f93dd1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/controller/controller_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2016 GNS3 Technologies Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+class ControllerError(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, message):
+        super().__init__(message)
+        self._message = message
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return self._message
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self._message
+
+
diff --git a/gns3server/controller/server.py b/gns3server/controller/server.py
index fef33c3d..047cf236 100644
--- a/gns3server/controller/server.py
+++ b/gns3server/controller/server.py
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 
+from ..controller.controller_error import ControllerError
+from ..config import Config
+
+
+class ServerError(ControllerError):
+    pass
+
+
 class Server:
     """
     A GNS3 server.
@@ -32,6 +40,11 @@ class Server:
         # The remote server version
         self._version = None
 
+        # If the server is local but the server id is local
+        # it's a configuration issue
+        if server_id == "local" and Config.instance().get_section_config("Server")["local"] is False:
+            raise ServerError("The local server is started without --local")
+
     @property
     def id(self):
         """
@@ -57,7 +70,4 @@ class Server:
             "version": self._version
         }
 
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        if not isinstance(other, Server):
-            return False
-        return other._id == self._id
+
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/vm_error.py b/gns3server/modules/vm_error.py
index 55cfc4cf..98826542 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/vm_error.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/vm_error.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class VMError(Exception):
 
     def __init__(self, message, original_exception=None):
 
-        Exception.__init__(self, message)
+        super().__init__(message)
         if isinstance(message, Exception):
             message = str(message)
         self._message = message
diff --git a/gns3server/web/route.py b/gns3server/web/route.py
index 4511cbc2..97b9d0f9 100644
--- a/gns3server/web/route.py
+++ b/gns3server/web/route.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import traceback
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 from ..modules.vm_error import VMError
+from ..controller.controller_error import ControllerError
 from ..ubridge.ubridge_error import UbridgeError
 from .response import Response
 from ..crash_report import CrashReport
@@ -185,6 +186,11 @@ class Route(object):
                     response = Response(request=request, route=route)
                     response.set_status(e.status)
                     response.json({"message": e.text, "status": e.status})
+                except (ControllerError) as e:
+                    log.error("Controller error detected: {type}".format(type=type(e)), exc_info=1)
+                    response = Response(request=request, route=route)
+                    response.set_status(409)
+                    response.json({"message": str(e), "status": 409})
                 except (VMError, UbridgeError) as e:
                     log.error("VM error detected: {type}".format(type=type(e)), exc_info=1)
                     response = Response(request=request, route=route)
diff --git a/tests/controller/test_server.py b/tests/controller/test_server.py
index ad2093f8..dd619644 100644
--- a/tests/controller/test_server.py
+++ b/tests/controller/test_server.py
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import pytest
 
-from gns3server.controller.server import Server
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from gns3server.controller.server import Server, ServerError
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -29,6 +31,19 @@ def test_init(server):
     assert server.id == "my_server_id"
 
 
+def test_server_local(server):
+    """
+    If the server is local but the server id is local
+    it's a configuration issue
+    """
+
+    with patch("gns3server.config.Config.get_section_config", return_value={"local": False}):
+        with pytest.raises(ServerError):
+            s = Server("local")
+
+    with patch("gns3server.config.Config.get_section_config", return_value={"local": True}):
+        s = Server("test")
+
 def test_json(server):
     assert server.__json__() == {
         "server_id": "my_server_id",
@@ -40,9 +55,3 @@ def test_json(server):
         "version": None
     }
 
-
-def test__eq__(server):
-    assert server != 1
-    assert server == server
-    assert server == Server("my_server_id")
-    assert server != Server("test")