diff --git a/library/Core.cpp b/library/Core.cpp
index 823c68a59..6fdf65a09 100644
--- a/library/Core.cpp
+++ b/library/Core.cpp
@@ -1336,15 +1336,19 @@ Core::Core()
     script_path_mutex = new mutex();
 };
 
-void Core::fatal (std::string output, bool deactivate)
+void Core::fatal (std::string output)
 {
+    errorstate = true;
     stringstream out;
     out << output ;
-    if(deactivate)
-        out << "DFHack will now deactivate.\n";
+    if (output[output.size() - 1] != '\n')
+        out << '\n';
+    out << "DFHack will now deactivate.\n";
     if(con.isInited())
     {
         con.printerr("%s", out.str().c_str());
+        con.reset_color();
+        con.print("\n");
     }
     fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", out.str().c_str());
 #ifndef LINUX_BUILD
@@ -1395,7 +1399,7 @@ bool Core::Init()
         delete vif;
         vif = NULL;
         errorstate = true;
-        fatal(out.str(), true);
+        fatal(out.str());
         return false;
     }
     p = new DFHack::Process(vif);
@@ -1403,7 +1407,7 @@ bool Core::Init()
 
     if(!vinfo || !p->isIdentified())
     {
-        fatal ("Not a known DF version.\n", true);
+        fatal("Not a known DF version.\n");
         errorstate = true;
         delete p;
         p = NULL;
@@ -1429,7 +1433,7 @@ bool Core::Init()
     else if(con.init(false))
         cerr << "Console is running.\n";
     else
-        fatal ("Console has failed to initialize!\n", false);
+        cerr << "Console has failed to initialize!\n";
 /*
     // dump offsets to a file
     std::ofstream dump("offsets.log");
@@ -1476,7 +1480,11 @@ bool Core::Init()
     }
 
     // initialize common lua context
-    Lua::Core::Init(con);
+    if (!Lua::Core::Init(con))
+    {
+        fatal("Lua failed to initialize");
+        return false;
+    }
 
     // create mutex for syncing with interactive tasks
     misc_data_mutex=new mutex();
diff --git a/library/LuaTools.cpp b/library/LuaTools.cpp
index 7992373a9..008cb00c2 100644
--- a/library/LuaTools.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaTools.cpp
@@ -1701,7 +1701,11 @@ lua_State *DFHack::Lua::Open(color_ostream &out, lua_State *state)
         Lua::Core::InitCoreContext();
 
     // load dfhack.lua
-    Require(out, state, "dfhack");
+    if (!Require(out, state, "dfhack"))
+    {
+        out.printerr("Could not load dfhack.lua\n");
+        return NULL;
+    }
 
     lua_settop(state, 0);
     if (!lua_checkstack(state, 64))
@@ -1868,15 +1872,17 @@ void DFHack::Lua::Core::onUpdate(color_ostream &out)
         run_timers(out, State, tick_timers, frame[1], world->frame_counter);
 }
 
-void DFHack::Lua::Core::Init(color_ostream &out)
+bool DFHack::Lua::Core::Init(color_ostream &out)
 {
-    if (State)
-        return;
+    if (State) {
+        out.printerr("state already exists\n");
+        return false;
+    }
 
     State = luaL_newstate();
 
     // Calls InitCoreContext after checking IsCoreContext
-    Lua::Open(out, State);
+    return (Lua::Open(out, State) != NULL);
 }
 
 static void Lua::Core::InitCoreContext()
diff --git a/library/include/Core.h b/library/include/Core.h
index 2d74405e1..f76ba2b73 100644
--- a/library/include/Core.h
+++ b/library/include/Core.h
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ namespace DFHack
         void operator=(Core const&);    // Don't implement
 
         // report error to user while failing
-        void fatal (std::string output, bool will_deactivate);
+        void fatal (std::string output);
 
         // 1 = fatal failure
         bool errorstate;
diff --git a/library/include/LuaTools.h b/library/include/LuaTools.h
index 9121660ec..0a1c4ccaa 100644
--- a/library/include/LuaTools.h
+++ b/library/include/LuaTools.h
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ namespace DFHack {namespace Lua {
         DFHACK_EXPORT extern lua_State *State;
 
         // Not exported; for use by the Core class
-        void Init(color_ostream &out);
+        bool Init(color_ostream &out);
         void Reset(color_ostream &out, const char *where);
 
         // Events signalled by the core
diff --git a/plugins/dwarfmonitor.cpp b/plugins/dwarfmonitor.cpp
index 216664a93..ca61ddb2e 100644
--- a/plugins/dwarfmonitor.cpp
+++ b/plugins/dwarfmonitor.cpp
@@ -1977,6 +1977,8 @@ DFhackCExport command_result plugin_init(color_ostream &out, std::vector <Plugin
         ));
 
     dm_lua::state = Lua::Open(out);
+    if (dm_lua::state == NULL)
+        return CR_FAILURE;
 
     return CR_OK;
 }