diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
index b6ce791c0f..ffe633d4b6 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Gitlab
 
       def initialize(config)
         loader = Loader.new(config)
-        @config = loader.load
+        @config = loader.load!
       end
 
       def to_hash
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader.rb
index ed9cc16702..dbf6eb0edb 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Gitlab
           @config.is_a?(Hash)
         end
 
-        def load
+        def load!
           unless valid?
             raise FormatError, 'Invalid configuration format'
           end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader_spec.rb
index 6f1a10085d..2d44b1f60f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/loader_spec.rb
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Config::Loader do
       end
     end
 
-    describe '#load' do
+    describe '#load!' do
       it 'returns a valid hash' do
-        expect(loader.load).to eq(image: 'ruby:2.2')
+        expect(loader.load!).to eq(image: 'ruby:2.2')
       end
     end
   end
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Config::Loader do
       end
     end
 
-    describe '#load' do
+    describe '#load!' do
       it 'raises error' do
-        expect { loader.load }.to raise_error(
+        expect { loader.load! }.to raise_error(
           Gitlab::Ci::Config::Loader::FormatError,
           'Invalid configuration format'
         )