diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/needpie.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/needpie.py
index 5a2bda1d4..366376c57 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/needpie.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/needpie.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from docutils.parsers.rst import directives
 from sphinx.application import Sphinx
 
+from sphinx_needs.api.exceptions import NeedsInvalidFilter
 from sphinx_needs.config import NeedsSphinxConfig
 from sphinx_needs.data import NeedsPieType, SphinxNeedsData
 from sphinx_needs.debug import measure_time
@@ -169,41 +170,49 @@ def process_needpie(
                     )
                     sizes.append(result)
         elif current_needpie["filter_func"] and not content:
+            # check and get filter_func
             try:
-                # check and get filter_func
-                filter_func, filter_args = check_and_get_external_filter_func(
+                filter_func_sig = check_and_get_external_filter_func(
                     current_needpie.get("filter_func")
                 )
-                # execute filter_func code
+            except NeedsInvalidFilter as e:
+                log_warning(
+                    logger,
+                    str(e),
+                    "filter_func",
+                    location=node,
+                )
+                remove_node_from_tree(node)
+                continue
+
+            # execute filter_func code
+            if filter_func_sig:
                 # Provides only a copy of needs to avoid data manipulations.
                 context: dict[str, Any] = {
                     "needs": need_list,
                     "results": [],
                 }
-                args = []
-                if filter_args:
-                    args = filter_args.split(",")
+                args = filter_func_sig.args.split(",") if filter_func_sig.args else []
                 for index, arg in enumerate(args):
                     # All rgs are strings, but we must transform them to requested type, e.g. 1 -> int, "1" -> str
                     context[f"arg{index + 1}"] = arg
 
-                if filter_func:
-                    filter_func(**context)
+                filter_func_sig.func(**context)
+
                 sizes = context["results"]
                 # check items in sizes
                 if not isinstance(sizes, list):
                     logger.error(
-                        f"The returned values from the given filter_func {filter_func.__name__} is not valid."
+                        f"The returned values from the given filter_func {filter_func_sig.sig!r} is not valid."
                         " It must be a list."
                     )
                 for item in sizes:
                     if not isinstance(item, int) and not isinstance(item, float):
                         logger.error(
-                            f"The returned values from the given filter_func {filter_func.__name__} is not valid. "
+                            f"The returned values from the given filter_func {filter_func_sig.sig!r} is not valid. "
                             "It must be a list with items of type int/float."
                         )
-            except Exception as e:
-                raise e
+
         elif current_needpie["filter_func"] and content:
             logger.error(
                 "filter_func and content can't be used at the same time for needpie."
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py b/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
index ff8977ed0..8d6e3e39d 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/filter_common.py
@@ -147,16 +147,25 @@ def process_filters(
     all_needs_incl_parts = prepare_need_list(checked_all_needs)
 
     # Check if external filter code is defined
-    filter_func, filter_args = check_and_get_external_filter_func(
-        filter_data.get("filter_func")
-    )
+    try:
+        filter_func_sig = check_and_get_external_filter_func(
+            filter_data.get("filter_func")
+        )
+    except NeedsInvalidFilter as e:
+        log_warning(
+            log,
+            str(e),
+            "filter_func",
+            location=location,
+        )
+        return []
 
     filter_code = None
     # Get filter_code from
     if not filter_code and filter_data["filter_code"]:
         filter_code = "\n".join(filter_data["filter_code"])
 
-    if (not filter_code or filter_code.isspace()) and not filter_func:
+    if (not filter_code or filter_code.isspace()) and not filter_func_sig:
         if bool(filter_data["status"] or filter_data["tags"] or filter_data["types"]):
             for need_info in all_needs_incl_parts:
                 status_filter_passed = False
@@ -214,17 +223,17 @@ def process_filters(
 
         if filter_code:  # code from content
             exec(filter_code, context)
-        elif filter_func:  # code from external file
+        elif filter_func_sig:  # code from external file
             args = []
-            if filter_args:
-                args = filter_args.split(",")
+            if filter_func_sig.args:
+                args = filter_func_sig.args.split(",")
             for index, arg in enumerate(args):
                 # All args are strings, but we must transform them to requested type, e.g. 1 -> int, "1" -> str
                 context[f"arg{index+1}"] = arg
 
             # Decorate function to allow time measurments
             filter_func = measure_time_func(
-                filter_func, category="filter_func", source="user"
+                filter_func_sig.func, category="filter_func", source="user"
             )
             filter_func(**context)
         else:
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/utils.py b/sphinx_needs/utils.py
index 7472efcc8..b065f802b 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/utils.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/utils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import operator
 import os
 import re
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 from functools import lru_cache, reduce, wraps
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, TypeVar
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 from jinja2 import Environment, Template
 from sphinx.application import BuildEnvironment, Sphinx
 
+from sphinx_needs.api.exceptions import NeedsInvalidFilter
 from sphinx_needs.config import LinkOptionsType, NeedsSphinxConfig
 from sphinx_needs.data import NeedsInfoType, SphinxNeedsData
 from sphinx_needs.defaults import NEEDS_PROFILING
@@ -308,43 +310,45 @@ def check_and_calc_base_url_rel_path(external_url: str, fromdocname: str) -> str
     return ref_uri
 
 
-def check_and_get_external_filter_func(filter_func_ref: str | None) -> tuple[Any, str]:
+@dataclass
+class FilterFunc:
+    """Dataclass for filter function."""
+
+    sig: str
+    func: Callable[..., Any]
+    args: str
+
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=32)
+def check_and_get_external_filter_func(
+    filter_func_ref: str | None,
+) -> FilterFunc | None:
     """Check and import filter function from external python file."""
-    # Check if external filter code is defined
-    filter_func = None
-    filter_args = ""
+    if not filter_func_ref:
+        return None
 
-    if filter_func_ref:
-        try:
-            filter_module, filter_function = filter_func_ref.rsplit(".")
-        except ValueError:
-            log_warning(
-                logger,
-                f'Filter function not valid "{filter_func_ref}". Example: my_module:my_func',
-                None,
-                None,
-            )
-            return filter_func, filter_args
+    try:
+        filter_module, filter_function = filter_func_ref.rsplit(".")
+    except ValueError:
+        raise NeedsInvalidFilter("does not contain a dot")
 
-        result = re.search(r"^(\w+)(?:\((.*)\))*$", filter_function)
-        if not result:
-            return filter_func, filter_args
-        filter_function = result.group(1)
-        filter_args = result.group(2) or ""
+    result = re.search(r"^(\w+)(?:\((.*)\))*$", filter_function)
+    if not result:
+        raise NeedsInvalidFilter(f"malformed function signature: {filter_function!r}")
+    filter_function = result.group(1)
+    filter_args = result.group(2) or ""
 
-        try:
-            final_module = importlib.import_module(filter_module)
-            filter_func = getattr(final_module, filter_function)
-        except Exception:
-            log_warning(
-                logger,
-                f"Could not import filter function: {filter_func_ref}",
-                None,
-                None,
-            )
-            return filter_func, filter_args
+    try:
+        final_module = importlib.import_module(filter_module)
+    except Exception:
+        raise NeedsInvalidFilter(f"cannot import module: {filter_module}")
+
+    try:
+        filter_func = getattr(final_module, filter_function)
+    except Exception:
+        raise NeedsInvalidFilter(f"module does not have function: {filter_function}")
 
-    return filter_func, filter_args
+    return FilterFunc(filter_func_ref, filter_func, filter_args)
 
 
 def jinja_parse(context: dict[str, Any], jinja_string: str) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/filter_code.rst b/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/filter_code.rst
index fd565180f..c3ba58272 100644
--- a/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/filter_code.rst
+++ b/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/filter_code.rst
@@ -21,3 +21,13 @@ Filter code test cases
 .. needpie:: Filter code func pie
     :labels: project_x, project_y
     :filter-func: filter_code_func.my_pie_filter_code
+
+
+.. needtable:: Malformed filter func table
+   :style: table
+   :filter-func: filter_code_func.own_filter_code(
+
+
+.. needpie:: Malformed filter func pie
+    :labels: project_x, project_y
+    :filter-func: filter_code_func.my_pie_filter_code(
diff --git a/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/index.rst b/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/index.rst
index 74ed4bf22..aba1731ce 100644
--- a/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/index.rst
+++ b/tests/doc_test/doc_needs_filter_data/index.rst
@@ -61,3 +61,9 @@ Needflow example
 
 .. needflow:: My needflow
    :filter: variant == current_variant
+
+
+.. toctree::
+
+   filter_code
+   filter_code_args
diff --git a/tests/test_needs_filter_data.py b/tests/test_needs_filter_data.py
index 67978b448..53e45f3dd 100644
--- a/tests/test_needs_filter_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_needs_filter_data.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 from docutils import __version__ as doc_ver
+from sphinx.util.console import strip_colors
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -12,6 +14,19 @@
 def test_doc_needs_filter_data_html(test_app):
     app = test_app
     app.build()
+
+    warnings = strip_colors(
+        app._warning.getvalue().replace(str(app.srcdir) + os.sep, "srcdir/")
+    ).splitlines()
+    print(warnings)
+    assert warnings == [
+        "srcdir/filter_code.rst:26: WARNING: malformed function signature: 'own_filter_code(' [needs.filter_func]",
+        "srcdir/filter_code.rst:31: WARNING: malformed function signature: 'my_pie_filter_code(' [needs.filter_func]",
+        "WARNING: variant_not_equal_current_variant: failed",
+        "\t\tfailed needs: 1 (extern_filter_story_002)",
+        "\t\tused filter: variant != current_variant [needs.warnings]",
+    ]
+
     index_html = Path(app.outdir, "index.html").read_text()
 
     # Check need_count works
@@ -52,15 +67,6 @@ def test_doc_needs_filter_data_html(test_app):
         in index_html
     )
 
-    # check needs_warnings works
-    warning = app._warning
-    warnings = warning.getvalue()
-
-    # check warnings contents
-    assert "WARNING: variant_not_equal_current_variant: failed" in warnings
-    assert "failed needs: 1 (extern_filter_story_002)" in warnings
-    assert "used filter: variant != current_variant" in warnings
-
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "test_app",