diff --git a/project/blob.go b/project/blob.go
index 00c2237..2efe60c 100644
--- a/project/blob.go
+++ b/project/blob.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 )
@@ -69,9 +68,10 @@ func addBlobFromPipe() string {
 
 	for {
 		input, err := reader.ReadByte()
-		if err != nil && err == io.EOF {
+		if err == io.EOF {
 			break
 		}
+		check(err, "addBlobFromPipe err: %s", err)
 		output = append(output, input)
 	}
 
@@ -85,15 +85,11 @@ func write(path string, data []byte) {
 		os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE,
 		0600,
 	)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Error writing to %s: %s", path, err)
 	defer file.Close()
 
 	_, err2 := file.Write(data)
-	if err2 != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	check(err2, "Write error (II): %s", err2)
 }
 
 func getSha256(data []byte) []byte {
diff --git a/project/cli.go b/project/cli.go
index a214111..cdb8578 100644
--- a/project/cli.go
+++ b/project/cli.go
@@ -181,9 +181,6 @@ func BootstrapCLI() {
 
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(bundleCommand)
 	bundleCommand.AddCommand(bundleIngestCommand)
-
-	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(err)
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
+	err := rootCmd.Execute()
+	check(err, "Failed to load CLI: %s", err)
 }
diff --git a/project/db.go b/project/db.go
index baa29c0..dbe30ae 100644
--- a/project/db.go
+++ b/project/db.go
@@ -12,15 +12,11 @@ func openDB() *sql.DB {
 	dbPath := path.Join(pigeonPath, "db.sqlite")
 	db, err0 := sql.Open("sqlite3", dbPath)
 
-	if err0 != nil {
-		panicf("failed to open db: %s", err0)
-	}
+	check(err0, "failed to open db: %s", err0)
 
 	err1 := db.Ping()
 
-	if err1 != nil {
-		panicf("failed to ping db: %s", err1)
-	}
+	check(err1, "failed to ping db: %s", err1)
 
 	migrateUp(db)
 
@@ -43,17 +39,11 @@ func getDB() *sql.DB {
 // table
 func SetConfig(key string, value []byte) {
 	tx, err := getDB().Begin()
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to SetConfig (0): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Failed to SetConfig (0): %s", err)
 	_, err2 := tx.Exec("INSERT INTO configs(key, value) VALUES(?1, ?2)", key, string(value))
-	if err2 != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to SetConfig (1): %s", err2)
-	}
+	check(err2, "Failed to SetConfig (1): %s", err2)
 	err1 := tx.Commit()
-	if err1 != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to SetConfig (2): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err1, "Failed to SetConfig (2): %s", err1)
 }
 
 // GetConfig retrieves a key/value pair from the database.
@@ -61,12 +51,9 @@ func GetConfig(key string) []byte {
 	var result string
 	row := getDB().QueryRow("SELECT value FROM configs WHERE key=$1", key)
 	err := row.Scan(&result)
-	if err != nil {
-		if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-			panicf("CONFIG MISSING: %s", key)
-		} else {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		panicf("CONFIG MISSING: %s", key)
 	}
+	check(err, "SOmething else went wrong: %s", err)
 	return []byte(result)
 }
diff --git a/project/db_test.go b/project/db_test.go
index e176054..e7cb453 100644
--- a/project/db_test.go
+++ b/project/db_test.go
@@ -8,27 +8,20 @@ import (
 func resetDB() {
 	tx, err := getDB().Begin()
 
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to start transaction: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Failed to start transaction: %s", err)
 
 	for i := len(migrations) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 		_, err := tx.Exec(migrations[i].down)
-		if err != nil {
-			panicf("Migration failure: %s", err)
-		}
+		check(err, "Migration #%d failure: %s", i, err)
 	}
 
 	for _, migration := range migrations {
 		_, err := tx.Exec(migration.up)
-		if err != nil {
-			panicf("Migration failure: %s", err)
-		}
+		check(err, "Migration failure: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	if tx.Commit() != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	err7 := tx.Commit()
+	check(err7, "TEST FAILURE db_test.go: %s", err7)
 
 	exec.Command("rm", "-rf", pigeonBlobDir())
 }
@@ -36,7 +29,5 @@ func resetDB() {
 func TestSetUpTeardown(t *testing.T) {
 	resetDB()
 	err := getDB().Ping()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Test setup failed: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Test setup failed: %s", err)
 }
diff --git a/project/filesystem.go b/project/filesystem.go
index 9f7f516..7696941 100644
--- a/project/filesystem.go
+++ b/project/filesystem.go
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ func pigeonHomeDir() string {
 		return customPath
 	}
 	home, err := homedir.Dir()
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Home directory resolution error %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Home directory resolution error %s", err)
 	return path.Join(home, ".pigeon")
 }
 
@@ -25,8 +23,6 @@ func pigeonBlobDir() string {
 
 func maybeSetupPigeonDir() string {
 	err := os.MkdirAll(pigeonHomeDir(), 0700)
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("maybeSetupPigeonDir: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "maybeSetupPigeonDir: %s", err)
 	return pigeonHomeDir()
 }
diff --git a/project/import_bundle.go b/project/import_bundle.go
index 6f1d157..c411ab6 100644
--- a/project/import_bundle.go
+++ b/project/import_bundle.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -28,9 +27,7 @@ func ingestOneMessage(msg pigeonMessage, blobIndex map[string]bool) {
 
 		for rank, pair := range msg.body {
 			_, err4 := tx.Exec(insertBodyItemQuery, parent, pair.key, pair.value, rank)
-			if err4 != nil {
-				fmt.Printf("%s", err4)
-			}
+			check(err4, "%s", err4)
 			rollbackCheck(tx, err4, "Failed to insert body item %d of %s", rank, msg.signature)
 		}
 		err5 := tx.Commit()
diff --git a/project/migrations.go b/project/migrations.go
index 3b2c3ef..37ac4b4 100644
--- a/project/migrations.go
+++ b/project/migrations.go
@@ -57,18 +57,12 @@ var migrations = []migration{
 func migrateUp(db *sql.DB) {
 	tx, err := db.Begin()
 
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to start transaction: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Failed to start transaction: %s", err)
 
 	for i, migration := range migrations {
 		_, err := tx.Exec(migration.up)
-		if err != nil {
-			panicf("Migration failure(%d): %s", i, err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	if tx.Commit() != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		check(err, "Migration failure(%d): %s", i, err)
 	}
+	err3 := tx.Commit()
+	check(err3, "Transaction commit failure: %s", err3)
 }
diff --git a/project/parser.go b/project/parser.go
index 54d96d8..8669d12 100644
--- a/project/parser.go
+++ b/project/parser.go
@@ -122,10 +122,7 @@ func parseHeader(state *parserState) {
 		return
 	case "depth":
 		depth, err := strconv.ParseInt(chunks[1], 10, 32)
-		if err != nil {
-			tpl := "Parsing bad depth in message %d: %q"
-			panicf(tpl, len(state.results), chunks[1])
-		}
+		check(err, "Parsing bad depth in message %d: %q", len(state.results), chunks[1])
 		state.buffer.depth = depth
 		return
 	default:
@@ -151,9 +148,7 @@ func parseFooter(state *parserState) {
 	state.buffer.signature = chunks[1]
 	state.mode = parsingDone
 	err := verifyShallow(&state.buffer)
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Message verification failed for %s. %s", state.buffer.signature, err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Message verification failed for %s. %s", state.buffer.signature, err)
 	state.results = append(state.results, state.buffer)
 	state.buffer.body = []pigeonBodyItem{}
 	state.buffer = pigeonMessage{}
diff --git a/project/parser_test.go b/project/parser_test.go
index 4f8b935..b8b858d 100644
--- a/project/parser_test.go
+++ b/project/parser_test.go
@@ -2,20 +2,16 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"log"
 	"testing"
 )
 
 func TestParser(t *testing.T) {
 	content, err1 := ioutil.ReadFile("../fixtures/fixture.pgn")
-	if err1 != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err1)
-	}
+
+	check(err1, "TEST PARSER ERROR 1: %s", err1)
 	output, err2 := parseMessage(string(content))
 
-	if err2 != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err2)
-	}
+	check(err2, "TEST PARSER ERROR 2: %s", err2)
 
 	fixtureSize := 13
 	length := len(output.messages)
@@ -26,14 +22,11 @@ func TestParser(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestParser2(t *testing.T) {
 	content, err1 := ioutil.ReadFile("../fixtures/has_blobs/messages.pgn")
-	if err1 != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err1)
-	}
+	check(err1, "TestParser2 error (1) %s", err1)
+
 	parserOutput, err2 := parseMessage(string(content))
 	output := parserOutput.messages
-	if err2 != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err2)
-	}
+	check(err2, "TestParser2 error (2) %s", err2)
 
 	fixtureSize := 3
 	length := len(output)
diff --git a/project/peers.go b/project/peers.go
index 430643e..8e77c15 100644
--- a/project/peers.go
+++ b/project/peers.go
@@ -28,54 +28,38 @@ const sqlRemovePeer = "DELETE FROM peers WHERE mhash=$1;"
 func getPeerStatus(mHash string) PeerStatus {
 	var status PeerStatus
 	row := getDB().QueryRow(sqlFindPeerByStatus, mHash)
-	switch err := row.Scan(&status); err {
-	case sql.ErrNoRows:
+	err := row.Scan(&status)
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
 		return "unknown"
-	case nil:
-		return status
-	default:
-		panicf("getPeerStatus failure: %s", err)
-		panic(err)
 	}
+	check(err, "getPeerStatus error I")
+	return status
 }
 
 func addPeer(mHash string, status PeerStatus) {
 	tx, err := getDB().Begin()
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to begin addPeer trx (0): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Failed to begin addPeer trx (0): %s", err)
 	_, err2 := tx.Exec(sqlCreatePeer, mHash, status)
 	if err2 != nil {
-		// This .Commit() call never gets hit:
 		err1 := tx.Rollback()
-		if err1 != nil {
-			panicf("Failed to rollback peer (1): %s", err)
-		}
+		check(err1, "Failed to rollback peer (1): %s", err)
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("Failure. Possible duplicate peer?: %s", err2))
 	}
 	err1 := tx.Commit()
-	if err1 != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to commit peer (2): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err1, "Failed to commit peer (2): %s", err1)
 }
 
 func removePeer(mHash string) {
 	tx, err := getDB().Begin()
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to begin removePeer trx (0): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Failed to begin removePeer trx (0): %s", err)
 	_, err2 := tx.Exec(sqlRemovePeer, mHash)
 	if err2 != nil {
 		err1 := tx.Rollback()
-		if err1 != nil {
-			panicf("Failed to rollback removePeer (1): %s", err)
-		}
+		check(err1, "Failed to rollback removePeer (1): %s", err)
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("Failure. Possible duplicate peer?: %s", err2))
 	}
 	err1 := tx.Commit()
-	if err1 != nil {
-		panicf("Failed to commit peer removal (2): %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err1, "Failed to commit peer removal (2): %s", err1)
 }
 
 func listPeers() []peer {
@@ -84,22 +68,16 @@ func listPeers() []peer {
 		mhash  string
 	)
 	rows, err := getDB().Query(sqlGetAllPeers)
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("showPeers query failure: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "showPeers query failure: %s", err)
 	defer rows.Close()
 	output := []peer{}
 	for rows.Next() {
 		err := rows.Scan(&mhash, &status)
-		if err != nil {
-			panicf("Show peers row scan failure: %s", err)
-		}
+		check(err, "Show peers row scan failure: %s", err)
 		output = append(output, peer{mhash: mhash, status: status})
 	}
 	err = rows.Err()
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("showPeers row error: %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "showPeers row error: %s", err)
 	return output
 }
 
diff --git a/project/util.go b/project/util.go
index c451218..e00f0fb 100644
--- a/project/util.go
+++ b/project/util.go
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ func createOrShowIdentity() string {
 // as a Base32 encoded string
 func CreateIdentity() (ed25519.PublicKey, ed25519.PrivateKey) {
 	pub, priv, err := ed25519.GenerateKey(nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		panicf("Keypair creation error %s", err)
-	}
+	check(err, "Keypair creation error %s", err)
 	SetConfig("public_key", pub)
 	SetConfig("private_key", priv)
 	return pub, priv
@@ -52,6 +50,7 @@ func rollbackCheck(tx *sql.Tx, e error, tpl string, args ...interface{}) {
 
 func check(e error, tpl string, args ...interface{}) {
 	if e != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("=== NEW ERROR PLEASE REPORT: %s\n", e)
 		panicf(tpl, args...)
 	}
 }