diff --git a/tools/message.c b/tools/message.c
index dd36b1b..c80a747 100644
--- a/tools/message.c
+++ b/tools/message.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ static int _message(unsigned int timeout, GtkMessageType type,
 /* callbacks */
 static gboolean _message_on_timeout(gpointer data);
 
+static int _error(char const * message, int ret);
 static int _usage(void);
 
 
@@ -149,6 +150,15 @@ static gboolean _message_on_timeout(gpointer data)
 }
 
 
+/* error */
+static int _error(char const * message, int ret)
+{
+	fputs(PROGNAME ": ", stderr);
+	perror(message);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
 /* usage */
 static int _usage(void)
 {
@@ -169,7 +179,8 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	int o;
 	char * p;
 
-	setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
+	if(setlocale(LC_ALL, "") == NULL)
+		_error("setlocale", 1);
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
 	gtk_init(&argc, &argv);