diff --git a/rtgui/main.cc b/rtgui/main.cc
index 2ae442e5a..55d27125c 100644
--- a/rtgui/main.cc
+++ b/rtgui/main.cc
@@ -628,20 +628,19 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
     int ret = 0;
 
+    Glib::ustring fatalError;
+
     try {
         Options::load();
     } catch (Options::Error &e) {
-        std::cout << "ERROR: " << e.get_msg() << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "Fatal error!" << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "The RT_SETTINGS and/or RT_PATH environment variables are set, but use a relative path. The path must be absolute!" << std::endl;
-        return -2;
+        fatalError = e.get_msg();
     }
 
     gdk_threads_set_lock_functions (G_CALLBACK (myGdkLockEnter), (G_CALLBACK (myGdkLockLeave)));
     gdk_threads_init();
     gtk_init (&argc, &argv);  // use the "--g-fatal-warnings" command line flag to make warnings fatal
 
-    if (remote) {
+    if (fatalError.empty() && remote) {
         char *app_argv[2] = { const_cast<char *> (argv0.c_str()) };
         int app_argc = 1;
 
@@ -653,7 +652,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
         RTApplication app;
         ret = app.run (app_argc, app_argv);
     } else {
-        if (init_rt()) {
+        if (fatalError.empty() && init_rt()) {
             Gtk::Main m (&argc, &argv);
             gdk_threads_enter();
             const std::unique_ptr<RTWindow> rtWindow (create_rt_window());
@@ -679,7 +678,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
             cleanup_rt();
         } else {
             Gtk::Main m (&argc, &argv);
-            Gtk::MessageDialog msgd ("Fatal error!\nThe RT_SETTINGS and/or RT_PATH environment variables are set, but use a relative path. The path must be absolute!", true, Gtk::MESSAGE_ERROR, Gtk::BUTTONS_OK, true);
+            Gtk::MessageDialog msgd (Glib::ustring::compose("FATAL ERROR!\n\n%1", fatalError), true, Gtk::MESSAGE_ERROR, Gtk::BUTTONS_OK, true);
             msgd.run ();
             ret = -2;
         }
diff --git a/rtgui/options.cc b/rtgui/options.cc
index 0cc20e68a..d5e422159 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.cc
+++ b/rtgui/options.cc
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ void Options::updatePaths()
             g_mkdir_with_parents (profilePath.c_str (), 511);
 
             if (!checkDirPath (profilePath, "")) { // had problems with mkdir_with_parents return value on OS X, just check dir again
-                printf ("Error: creation of the user's processing profile directory \"%s\" failed!\n", profilePath.c_str());
+                Glib::ustring msg = Glib::ustring::compose ("Creation of the user's processing profile directory \"%1\" failed!\n", profilePath);
+                throw Error (msg);
             }
         }
 
@@ -130,7 +131,8 @@ void Options::updatePaths()
             g_mkdir_with_parents (tmpPath.c_str (), 511);
 
             if (!checkDirPath (tmpPath, "")) {
-                printf ("Error: creation of the user's processing profile directory \"%s\" failed!\n", tmpPath.c_str());
+                Glib::ustring msg = Glib::ustring::compose ("Creation of the user's processing profile directory \"%1\" failed!\n", tmpPath.c_str());
+                throw Error (msg);
             }
         }