diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 1704ad6..6ae0f40 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ func (c *client) GetSizeOnce() {
 	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
 	out, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size")
-		os.Exit(5)
+		cui.ExitMessage = "Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size"
+		cui.Exit(5)
 	}
 	var h, w int
 	_, _ = fmt.Sscan(string(out), &h, &w)
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ func (c *client) GetSize() {
 		cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
 		out, err := cmd.Output()
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println("Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size")
-			os.Exit(5)
+			cui.ExitMessage = "Fatal error: Unable to retrieve terminal size"
+			cui.Exit(5)
 		}
 		var h, w int
 		_, _ = fmt.Sscan(string(out), &h, &w)
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ func (c *client) TakeControlInput() {
 		c.Scroll(-1)
 	case 'q', 'Q':
 		// quit bombadillo
-		cui.Exit()
+		cui.Exit(0)
 	case 'g':
 		// scroll to top
 		c.ClearMessage()
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ func (c *client) simpleCommand(action string) {
 	action = strings.ToUpper(action)
 	switch action {
 	case "Q", "QUIT":
-		cui.Exit()
+		cui.Exit(0)
 	case "H", "HOME":
 		if c.Options["homeurl"] != "unset" {
 			go c.Visit(c.Options["homeurl"])
diff --git a/cui/cui.go b/cui/cui.go
index 85b14cc..3565461 100644
--- a/cui/cui.go
+++ b/cui/cui.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ var Shapes = map[string]string{
 	"abr":      "▟",
 }
 
+var ExitMessage string
+
 func MoveCursorTo(row, col int) {
 	fmt.Printf("\033[%d;%dH", row, col)
 }
@@ -44,9 +46,12 @@ func moveCursorToward(dir string, amount int) {
 }
 
 // Exit performs cleanup operations before exiting the application
-func Exit() {
+func Exit(exitCode int) {
 	CleanupTerm()
-	os.Exit(0)
+	if ExitMessage != "" {
+		fmt.Print(ExitMessage, "\n")
+	}
+	os.Exit(exitCode)
 }
 
 // InitTerm sets the terminal modes appropriate for Bombadillo
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index bc986c0..205f772 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func handleSignals(c <-chan os.Signal) {
 			cui.InitTerm()
 			bombadillo.Draw()
 		case syscall.SIGINT:
-			cui.Exit()
+			cui.Exit(130)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -197,11 +197,12 @@ func main() {
 	args := flag.Args()
 
 	cui.InitTerm()
-	defer cui.Exit()
+	defer cui.Exit(0)
 	err := initClient()
 	if err != nil {
 		// if we can't initialize we should bail out
-		panic(err)
+		cui.ExitMessage = err.Error()
+		cui.Exit(1)
 	}
 
 	// watch for signals, send them to be handled