diff --git a/ergonomadic.go b/ergonomadic.go
index 525e38ac..15504e55 100644
--- a/ergonomadic.go
+++ b/ergonomadic.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func main() {
 	if *passwd != "" {
 		encoded, err := irc.GenerateEncodedPassword(*passwd)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
+			log.Fatal("encoding error: ", err)
 		}
 		fmt.Println(encoded)
 		return
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ func main() {
 
 	config, err := irc.LoadConfig(*conf)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("error loading config: ", err)
 	}
 	err = os.Chdir(filepath.Dir(*conf))
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("chdir error: ", err)
 	}
 
 	if *initdb {
diff --git a/irc/config.go b/irc/config.go
index 34181acd..6c5aa14d 100644
--- a/irc/config.go
+++ b/irc/config.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type PassConfig struct {
 func (conf *PassConfig) PasswordBytes() []byte {
 	bytes, err := DecodePassword(conf.Password)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("decode password error: ", err)
 	}
 	return bytes
 }
diff --git a/irc/database.go b/irc/database.go
index 1ff3bd67..c7f9264a 100644
--- a/irc/database.go
+++ b/irc/database.go
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ func InitDB(path string) {
           topic TEXT NOT NULL,
           user_limit INTEGER DEFAULT 0)`)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("initdb error: ", err)
 	}
 }
 
 func OpenDB(path string) *sql.DB {
 	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", path)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("open db error: ", err)
 	}
 	return db
 }
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index 129a312b..ef2302ff 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (server *Server) loadChannels() {
         SELECT name, flags, key, topic, user_limit
           FROM channel`)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
+		log.Fatal("error loading channels: ", err)
 	}
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var name, flags, key, topic string