diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index da7c2ce..68efd20 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -9,13 +9,23 @@
 # notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is, without any warranty.
 
 .POSIX:
+
+# if using BSD make(1), remove these pragmas because they break it
 .PRAGMA: posix_202x # future POSIX standard support à la pdpmake(1)
 .PRAGMA: command_comment # breaks without this?
 
-PREFIX=/usr/local
+DESTDIR ?= dist
+PREFIX ?= /usr/local
 
-CC=cc
-RUSTC=rustc
+SYSEXITS != printf '\043include <sysexits.h>\n' | cpp -M - | sed 's/ /\n/g' \
+	| sed -n 's/sysexits\.h//p' || printf 'include\n'
+
+CC ?= cc
+RUSTC ?= rustc
+RUSTLIBS = --extern getopt=build/o/libgetopt.rlib \
+	--extern sysexits=build/o/libsysexits.rlib \
+	--extern strerror=build/o/libstrerror.rlib
+CFLAGS += -I$(SYSEXITS)
 
 .PHONY: all
 all: dj false fop hru intcmp mm npc rpn scrut str strcmp swab true
@@ -27,36 +37,40 @@ build:
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
-	rm -rf build/ dist/
+	rm -rf build dist
 
 dist: all
-	mkdir -p dist/bin dist/share/man/man1
-	cp build/bin/* dist/bin/
-	cp docs/*.1 dist/share/man/man1/
+	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)/$(PREFIX)/bin $(DESTDIR)/$(PREFIX)/share/man/man1
+	cp build/bin/* $(DESTDIR)/$(PREFIX)/bin
+	cp docs/*.1 $(DESTDIR)/$(PREFIX)/share/man/man1
 
 .PHONY: install
 install: dist
-	mkdir -p $(PREFIX)
-	cp -r dist/* $(PREFIX)/
+	cp -r $(DESTDIR)/* /
 
 .PHONY: test
 test: build
 	tests/posix-compat.sh
 	$(RUSTC) --test src/getopt-rs/lib.rs -o build/test/getopt
 
-build/o/libsysexits.rlib: build
+.PHONY: rustlibs
+rustlibs: build/o/libsysexits.rlib build/o/libgetopt.rlib \
+	build/o/libstrerror.rlib
+
+build/o/libgetopt.rlib: build src/getopt-rs/lib.rs
+	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --crate-type=lib --crate-name=getopt \
+		-o $@ src/getopt-rs/lib.rs
+
+build/o/libstrerror.rlib: build src/strerror.rs
+	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --crate-type=lib -o $@ \
+		src/strerror.rs
+
+build/o/libsysexits.rlib: build $(SYSEXITS)sysexits.h
 	# bandage solution until bindgen(1) gets stdin support
-	printf '#define EXIT_FAILURE 1\n' | cat - include/sysexits.h \
+	printf '#define EXIT_FAILURE 1\n' | cat - $(SYSEXITS)sysexits.h \
 		> build/include/sysexits.h 
 	bindgen --default-macro-constant-type signed --use-core --formatter=none \
-		"$$(printf '#include <sysexits.h>\n' \
-			| cpp -M -idirafter "build/include" - \
-			| sed 's/ /\n/g' | grep sysexits.h)" \
-		| $(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --crate-type lib -o build/o/libsysexits.rlib -
-
-build/o/libgetopt.rlib: src/getopt-rs/lib.rs
-	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --crate-type=lib --crate-name=getopt \
-		-o build/o/libgetopt.rlib src/getopt-rs/lib.rs
+		build/include/sysexits.h | $(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --crate-type lib -o $@ -
 
 .PHONY: dj
 dj: build/bin/dj
@@ -70,17 +84,13 @@ build/bin/false: src/false.c build
 
 .PHONY: fop
 fop: build/bin/fop
-build/bin/fop: src/fop.rs build build/o/libgetopt.rlib build/o/libsysexits.rlib
-	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --extern getopt=build/o/libgetopt.rlib \
-		--extern sysexits=build/o/libsysexits.rlib \
-		-o $@ src/fop.rs
+build/bin/fop: src/fop.rs build rustlibs
+	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) $(RUSTLIBS) -o $@ src/fop.rs
 
 .PHONY: hru
 hru: build/bin/hru
-build/bin/hru: src/hru.rs build build/o/libgetopt.rlib build/o/libsysexits.rlib
-	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) --extern getopt=build/o/libgetopt.rlib \
-		--extern sysexits=build/o/libsysexits.rlib \
-		-o $@ src/hru.rs
+build/bin/hru: src/hru.rs build rustlibs 
+	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) $(RUSTLIBS) -o $@ src/hru.rs
 
 .PHONY: intcmp
 intcmp: build/bin/intcmp
@@ -100,10 +110,8 @@ build/bin/npc: src/npc.c build
 
 .PHONY: rpn
 rpn: build/bin/rpn
-build/bin/rpn: src/rpn.rs build build/o/libsysexits.rlib
-	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) \
-		--extern sysexits=build/o/libsysexits.rlib \
-		-o $@ src/rpn.rs
+build/bin/rpn: src/rpn.rs build rustlibs
+	$(RUSTC) $(RUSTFLAGS) $(RUSTLIBS) -o $@ src/rpn.rs
 
 .PHONY: scrut
 scrut: build/bin/scrut
diff --git a/src/fop.rs b/src/fop.rs
index c9a767e..b829602 100644
--- a/src/fop.rs
+++ b/src/fop.rs
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ use std::{
 	process::{ Command, exit, Stdio },
 };
 
-extern crate sysexits;
 extern crate getopt;
+extern crate strerror;
+extern crate sysexits;
 
 use getopt::{ Opt, Parser };
+use strerror::StrError;
 use sysexits::{ EX_DATAERR, EX_IOERR, EX_UNAVAILABLE, EX_USAGE };
 
 fn main() {
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ fn main() {
 	});
 
 	let index = argv[index_arg].parse::<usize>().unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}.", argv[0], argv[1], e);
+		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}", argv[0], argv[1], e);
 		exit(EX_DATAERR);
 	});
 
@@ -75,13 +77,13 @@ fn main() {
 		.stdout(Stdio::piped())
 		.spawn()
 		.unwrap_or_else( |e| {
-			eprintln!("{}: {}: {}.", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e);
+			eprintln!("{}: {}: {}", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e.strerror());
 			exit(EX_UNAVAILABLE);
 		});
 
 	let field = fields.get(index).unwrap_or_else(|| {
 		eprintln!(
-			"{}: {}: No such index in input.",
+			"{}: {}: No such index in input",
 			argv[0],
 			index.to_string(),
 		);
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ fn main() {
 	}
 
 	let output = spawned.wait_with_output().unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}.", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e);
+		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e.strerror());
 		exit(EX_IOERR);
 	});
 
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ fn main() {
 	if replace.pop() != Some(b'\n') { replace = output.stdout; }
 
 	let new_field = String::from_utf8(replace).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}.", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e);
+		eprintln!("{}: {}: {}", argv[0], argv[command_arg], e);
 		exit(EX_IOERR);
 	});
 
@@ -111,8 +113,8 @@ fn main() {
 
 	stdout().write_all(
 		fields.join(&d.to_string()).as_bytes()
-	).unwrap_or_else(|e|{
-		eprintln!("{}: {}.", argv[0], e);
+	).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+		eprintln!("{}: {}", argv[0], e.strerror());
 		exit(EX_IOERR);
 	});
 }
diff --git a/src/hru.rs b/src/hru.rs
index 0e0b25d..b7937f7 100644
--- a/src/hru.rs
+++ b/src/hru.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ use std::{
 	process::{ ExitCode, exit },
 };
 
+extern crate strerror;
 extern crate sysexits;
 
+use strerror::StrError;
 use sysexits::{ EX_DATAERR, EX_IOERR, EX_SOFTWARE };
 
 const LIST: [(u32, &str); 10] = [
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ fn convert(input: u128) -> Result<(f64, (u32, &'static str)), String> {
 		let c = match 10_u128.checked_pow(n) {
 			Some(c) => c,
 			None => {
-				return Err(format!("10^{}: Integer overflow.", n.to_string()));
+				return Err(format!("10^{}: Integer overflow", n.to_string()));
 			},
 		};
 
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
 				f
 			},
 			Err(err) => {
-				eprintln!("{}: {}.", argv[0], err);
+				eprintln!("{}: {}", argv[0], err);
 				return ExitCode::from(EX_DATAERR as u8);
 			},
 		};
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
 		let (number, prefix) = match convert(n) {
 			Ok(x) => x,
 			Err(err) => {
-				eprintln!("{}: {}.", argv[0], err);
+				eprintln!("{}: {}", argv[0], err);
 				return ExitCode::from(EX_SOFTWARE as u8);
 			},
 		};
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
 
 		stdout().write_all(format!("{} {}\n", out, si_prefix).as_bytes())
 			.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-				eprintln!("{}: {}.", argv[0], e);
+				eprintln!("{}: {}", argv[0], e.strerror());
 				exit(EX_IOERR);
 			});
 	}
diff --git a/src/rpn.rs b/src/rpn.rs
index 0cb23b8..2bfbbf5 100644
--- a/src/rpn.rs
+++ b/src/rpn.rs
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ fn eval(
 					};
 				} else {
 					return Err(EvaluationError {
-						message: format!("{}: Unexpected operation.", op),
+						message: format!("{}: Unexpected operation", op),
 						code: EX_DATAERR,
 					})
 				}
diff --git a/src/strerror.rs b/src/strerror.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e306e7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/strerror.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2024 Emma Tebibyte <emma@tebibyte.media>
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: FSFAP
+ *
+ * Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
+ * permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice and
+ * this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is, without any warranty.
+ */
+
+use std::ffi::{ c_int, c_char, CStr };
+
+pub trait StrError { fn strerror(&self) -> String; }
+
+impl StrError for std::io::Error {
+	/* wrapper function for use in Rust */
+	fn strerror(&self) -> String {
+		/* Get the raw OS error. If it’s None, what the hell is going on‽ */
+		let errno = self.raw_os_error().unwrap_or(0) as c_int;
+
+		/* Get a CStr from the error message so that it’s referenced and then
+		 * convert it to an owned value. If the string is not valid UTF-8,
+		 * return that error instead. */
+		match unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(strerror(errno)) }.to_str() {
+			Ok(s) => s.to_owned(), // yay!! :D
+			Err(e) => e.to_string(), // awww :(
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/* binding to strerror(3p) */
+extern "C" { fn strerror(errnum: c_int) -> *mut c_char; }
diff --git a/src/test.rs b/src/test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a602b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+extern crate strerror;
+
+use strerror::raw_message;
+
+fn main() {
+	stdout.write_all(b"meow\n").unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+		eprintln!("{}", raw_message(e));
+		std::process::exit(1);
+	});
+}