diff --git a/cmd/stepd/main.go b/cmd/stepd/main.go
index ebb4e6c..f291651 100644
--- a/cmd/stepd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/stepd/main.go
@@ -196,16 +196,16 @@ func main () {
 
 	// initialize the environment
 	err = environment.Init(context.Background())
-	if err != nil { log.Fatal("XXX:", err) }
+	if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX environment initialization:", err) }
 
 	// initialize the HTTP handler
 	handler := stephttp.Handler {
 		Environment: &environment,
 	}
 	err = handler.Init(ctx)
-	if err != nil { log.Println("XXX", err) }
+	if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX handler initialization: ", err) }
 	err = handler.Configure(config)
-	if err != nil { log.Println("XXX", err) }
+	if err != nil { log.Fatalln("XXX handler configuration:", err) }
 
 	// set up the HTTP server
 	httpServer := httpServerRoutine {