diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.cpp
index 4aa76cc63..b1359d5f4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.cpp
@@ -279,34 +279,22 @@ void OpenAL_Sound::update(const float *pos)
 }
 
 
-bool OpenAL_Output::init(const std::string &devname)
+void OpenAL_Output::init(const std::string &devname)
 {
-    if(mContext)
-        fail("Device already initialized");
+    if(mDevice || mContext)
+        fail("Device already open");
 
     mDevice = alcOpenDevice(devname.c_str());
     if(!mDevice)
-    {
-        std::cout << "Failed to open \""<<devname<<"\"" << std::endl;
-        return false;
-    }
+        fail("Failed to open \""+devname+"\"");
     std::cout << "Opened \""<<alcGetString(mDevice, ALC_DEVICE_SPECIFIER)<<"\"" << std::endl;
 
     mContext = alcCreateContext(mDevice, NULL);
     if(!mContext || alcMakeContextCurrent(mContext) == ALC_FALSE)
-    {
-        std::cout << "Failed to setup device context" << std::endl;
-        if(mContext)
-            alcDestroyContext(mContext);
-        mContext = 0;
-        alcCloseDevice(mDevice);
-        mDevice = 0;
-        return false;
-    }
+        fail(std::string("Failed to setup context: ")+alcGetString(mDevice, alcGetError(mDevice)));
+
     alDistanceModel(AL_LINEAR_DISTANCE_CLAMPED);
     throwALerror();
-
-    return true;
 }
 
 void OpenAL_Output::deinit()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.hpp
index 25c414c6d..54c3268d7 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/openal_output.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace MWSound
         ALCdevice *mDevice;
         ALCcontext *mContext;
 
-        virtual bool init(const std::string &devname="");
+        virtual void init(const std::string &devname="");
         virtual void deinit();
 
         virtual Sound *playSound(const std::string &fname, float volume, float pitch, bool loop);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_output.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_output.hpp
index 6497cc1bd..be721831f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_output.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/sound_output.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace MWSound
     {
         SoundManager &mManager;
 
-        virtual bool init(const std::string &devname="") = 0;
+        virtual void init(const std::string &devname="") = 0;
         virtual void deinit() = 0;
 
         virtual Sound *playSound(const std::string &fname, float volume, float pitch, bool loop) = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
index 5d9a37065..447c860ff 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
@@ -47,9 +47,14 @@ namespace MWSound
         std::cout << "Sound output: " << SOUND_OUT << std::endl;
         std::cout << "Sound decoder: " << SOUND_IN << std::endl;
 
-        mOutput.reset(new DEFAULT_OUTPUT(*this));
-        if(!mOutput->init())
+        try
         {
+            mOutput.reset(new DEFAULT_OUTPUT(*this));
+            mOutput->init();
+        }
+        catch(std::exception &e)
+        {
+            std::cout <<"Sound init failed: "<<e.what()<< std::endl;
             mOutput.reset();
             return;
         }