diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index ab10f71b5..e505aa7ac 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -1294,7 +1294,8 @@ static void terminate_handler()
 		main = '''
 	PHYSFS_File *f;
 	char b[1] = {0};
-	PHYSFS_init("");
+	if (!PHYSFS_init(""))
+		return 1;
 	f = PHYSFS_openWrite("a");
 	PHYSFS_sint64 w = PHYSFS_write(f, b, 1, 1);
 	(void)w;
diff --git a/similar/misc/physfsx.cpp b/similar/misc/physfsx.cpp
index 7f9ebc39a..ab1bd0ca9 100644
--- a/similar/misc/physfsx.cpp
+++ b/similar/misc/physfsx.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ bool PHYSFSX_init(int argc, char *argv[])
 #define base_dir PHYSFS_getBaseDir()
 #endif
 	
-	PHYSFS_init(argv[0]);
+	if (!PHYSFS_init(argv[0]))
+		Error("Failed to init PhysFS: %s", PHYSFS_getLastError());
 	PHYSFS_permitSymbolicLinks(1);
 	
 #ifdef macintosh