diff --git a/rai/node/bootstrap.cpp b/rai/node/bootstrap.cpp
index 404c3f6c..aab2a3d3 100755
--- a/rai/node/bootstrap.cpp
+++ b/rai/node/bootstrap.cpp
@@ -1132,11 +1132,19 @@ node (node_a)
 
 void rai::bootstrap_listener::start ()
 {
-    acceptor.open (local.protocol ());
-    acceptor.set_option (boost::asio::ip::tcp::acceptor::reuse_address (true));
-    acceptor.bind (local);
-    acceptor.listen ();
-    accept_connection ();
+	acceptor.open (local.protocol ());
+	acceptor.set_option (boost::asio::ip::tcp::acceptor::reuse_address (true));
+
+	boost::system::error_code ec;
+	acceptor.bind (local, ec);
+	if (ec)
+	{
+		BOOST_LOG (node.log) << boost::str (boost::format ("Error while binding for bootstrap on port %1%: %2%") % local.port() % ec.message ());
+		throw std::runtime_error (ec.message());
+	}
+
+	acceptor.listen ();
+	accept_connection ();
 }
 
 void rai::bootstrap_listener::stop ()
diff --git a/rai/node/node.cpp b/rai/node/node.cpp
index 38f5d339..d2895a0b 100755
--- a/rai/node/node.cpp
+++ b/rai/node/node.cpp
@@ -1500,31 +1500,30 @@ block_processor_thread ([this] () { this->block_processor.process_blocks (); })
 			}
 		}
 	});
-    BOOST_LOG (log) << "Node starting, version: " << RAIBLOCKS_VERSION_MAJOR << "." << RAIBLOCKS_VERSION_MINOR;
+	BOOST_LOG (log) << "Node starting, version: " << RAIBLOCKS_VERSION_MAJOR << "." << RAIBLOCKS_VERSION_MINOR;
 	BOOST_LOG (log) << boost::str (boost::format ("Work pool running %1% threads") % work.threads.size ());
-    if (!init_a.error ())
-    {
-        if (config.logging.node_lifetime_tracing ())
-        {
-            std::cerr << "Constructing node\n";
-        }
+	if (!init_a.error ())
+	{
+		if (config.logging.node_lifetime_tracing ())
+		{
+			BOOST_LOG (log) << "Constructing node";
+		}
 		rai::transaction transaction (store.environment, nullptr, true);
-        if (store.latest_begin (transaction) == store.latest_end ())
-        {
-            // Store was empty meaning we just created it, add the genesis block
-            rai::genesis genesis;
-            genesis.initialize (transaction, store);
-        }
-    }
+		if (store.latest_begin (transaction) == store.latest_end ())
+		{
+			// Store was empty meaning we just created it, add the genesis block
+			rai::genesis genesis;
+			genesis.initialize (transaction, store);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 rai::node::~node ()
 {
 	if (config.logging.node_lifetime_tracing ())
 	{
-		std::cerr << "Destructing node\n";
+		BOOST_LOG (log) << "Destructing node";
 	}
-
 	stop();
 }
 
diff --git a/rai/node/rpc.cpp b/rai/node/rpc.cpp
index 6e92878f..380796cd 100755
--- a/rai/node/rpc.cpp
+++ b/rai/node/rpc.cpp
@@ -76,8 +76,16 @@ node (node_a)
 {
 	auto endpoint (rai::tcp_endpoint (config_a.address, config_a.port));
 	acceptor.open (endpoint.protocol ());
-    acceptor.set_option (boost::asio::ip::tcp::acceptor::reuse_address (true));
-	acceptor.bind (endpoint);
+	acceptor.set_option (boost::asio::ip::tcp::acceptor::reuse_address (true));
+
+	boost::system::error_code ec;
+	acceptor.bind (endpoint, ec);
+	if (ec)
+	{
+		BOOST_LOG (node.log) << boost::str (boost::format ("Error while binding for RPC on port %1%: %2%") % endpoint.port() % ec.message ());
+		throw std::runtime_error (ec.message());
+	}
+
 	acceptor.listen ();
 	node_a.observers.blocks.add ([this] (std::shared_ptr <rai::block> block_a, rai::account const & account_a, rai::amount const &)
 	{
diff --git a/rai/rai_node/daemon.cpp b/rai/rai_node/daemon.cpp
index 85eeb7b1..0ef2113d 100644
--- a/rai/rai_node/daemon.cpp
+++ b/rai/rai_node/daemon.cpp
@@ -114,21 +114,28 @@ void rai_daemon::daemon::run (boost::filesystem::path const & data_path)
 		} : std::function <boost::optional <uint64_t> (rai::uint256_union const &)> (nullptr));
 		rai::alarm alarm (service);
 		rai::node_init init;
-		auto node (std::make_shared <rai::node> (init, service, data_path, alarm, config.node, opencl_work));
-		if (!init.error ())
+		try
 		{
-			node->start ();
-			rai::rpc rpc (service, *node, config.rpc);
-			if (config.rpc_enable)
+			auto node (std::make_shared <rai::node> (init, service, data_path, alarm, config.node, opencl_work));
+			if (!init.error ())
 			{
-				rpc.start ();
+				node->start ();
+				rai::rpc rpc (service, *node, config.rpc);
+				if (config.rpc_enable)
+				{
+					rpc.start ();
+				}
+				runner.reset (new rai::thread_runner (service, node->config.io_threads));
+				runner->join ();
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				std::cerr << "Error initializing node\n";
 			}
-			runner.reset (new rai::thread_runner (service, node->config.io_threads));
-			runner->join ();
 		}
-		else
+		catch(const std::runtime_error& e)
 		{
-			std::cerr << "Error initializing node\n";
+			std::cerr << "Error while running node (" << e.what() << ")\n";
 		}
 	}
 	else