diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/kbmap.c b/sys/src/cmd/kbmap.c
index d5cc99387..712c27e71 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/kbmap.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/kbmap.c
@@ -229,7 +229,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	} else 
 		init();
 
-	initdraw(0, 0, "kbmap");
+	if(initdraw(0, 0, "kbmap") < 0){
+		fprint(2, "kbmap: initdraw failed: %r\n");
+		exits("initdraw");
+	}
 	lightblue = allocimagemix(display, DPalebluegreen, DWhite);
 	if(lightblue == nil)
 		sysfatal("allocimagemix: %r");
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/mothra/mothra.c b/sys/src/cmd/mothra/mothra.c
index 73829252f..8ab367cfc 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/mothra/mothra.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/mothra/mothra.c
@@ -292,8 +292,8 @@ void main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 		close(errfile);
 	}
 	logfile=mkmfile("mothra.log", 0666|DMAPPEND);
-	
-	initdraw(err,0,"mothra");
+	if(initdraw(err, 0, "mothra") < 0)
+		sysfatal("initdraw: %r");
 	display->locking = 1;
 	chrwidth=stringwidth(font, "0");
 	pltabsize(chrwidth, 8*chrwidth);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/mug.c b/sys/src/cmd/mug.c
index 27c4d6644..19099c8f8 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/mug.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/mug.c
@@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		fd = 0;
 
 	if (initdraw(0, 0, "mug") < 0)
-		sysfatal("initdraw failed");
+		sysfatal("initdraw failed: %r");
 
 	if((orig = readimage(display, fd, 0)) == nil)
 		sysfatal("readimage: %r");
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/page.c b/sys/src/cmd/page.c
index 89bf1d3dd..e5445e671 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/page.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/page.c
@@ -1228,7 +1228,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			sysfatal("newwindow: %r");
 		free(s);
 	}
-	initdraw(drawerr, nil, argv0);
+	if(initdraw(drawerr, nil, argv0) < 0)
+		sysfatal("initdraw: %r");
 	paper = display->white;
 	frame = display->black;
 	ground = allocimage(display, Rect(0,0,1,1), screen->chan, 1, 0x777777FF);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/paint.c b/sys/src/cmd/paint.c
index dee0f07c2..173efef9b 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/paint.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/paint.c
@@ -43,7 +43,11 @@ main()
 	char file[128];
 	
 	haslast = 0;
-	initdraw(0, 0, 0);
+	if(initdraw(0, 0, "paint") < 0){
+		fprint(2, "paint: initdraw failed: %r\n");
+		exits("initdraw");
+	}
+		
 	einit(Emouse | Ekeyboard);
 	draw(screen, screen->r, display->white, 0, ZP);
 	flushimage(display, 1);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/vnc/rlist.c b/sys/src/cmd/vnc/rlist.c
index dddad64fc..f0c15766a 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/vnc/rlist.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/vnc/rlist.c
@@ -273,7 +273,10 @@ void main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	Rectangle r3 = Rect(200, 100, 500, 300);
 	Region reg;
 
-	initdraw(0, 0, "vncviewer");
+	if(initdraw(0, 0, "vncviewer") < 0){
+		fprint(2, "%s: initdraw failed: %r\n", argv[0]);
+		exits("initdraw");
+	}
 	region_init(&reg);
 	region_union(&reg, r1, r1);
 	region_union(&reg, r2, r2);
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/vnc/vncv.c b/sys/src/cmd/vnc/vncv.c
index 5de6786f0..3108bbae3 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/vnc/vncv.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/vnc/vncv.c
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if(vncstart(vnc, shared) < 0)
 		sysfatal("init failure: %r");
 
-	initdraw(0, 0, "vncv");
+	if(initdraw(0, 0, "vncv") < 0)
+		sysfatal("initdraw: %r");
 	display->locking = 1;
 	unlockdisplay(display);
 
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/winwatch.c b/sys/src/cmd/winwatch.c
index a76d15efa..6819108ad 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/winwatch.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/winwatch.c
@@ -262,15 +262,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if(argc)
 		usage();
 
-	initdraw(0, 0, "winwatch");
+	if(initdraw(0, fontname, "winwatch") < 0)
+		sysfatal("initdraw: %r");
 	lightblue = allocimagemix(display, DPalebluegreen, DWhite);
 	if(lightblue == nil)
 		sysfatal("allocimagemix: %r");
 
-	if(fontname)
-		if((font = openfont(display, fontname)) == nil)
-			sysfatal("font '%s' not found", fontname);
-
 	refreshwin();
 	redraw(screen, 1);
 	einit(Emouse|Ekeyboard);