diff --git a/src/gui/gui.cpp b/src/gui/gui.cpp
index ffecb3c9..56bb4e45 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/gui.cpp
@@ -6265,14 +6265,14 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::init() {
       settings.renderBackend="SDL";
       e->setConf("renderBackend","SDL");
       e->saveConf();
-      lastError=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render backend has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
+      lastError=fmt::sprintf("could not init renderer!\r\nthe render backend has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
     } else {
       lastError=fmt::sprintf("could not init renderer! %s",SDL_GetError());
       if (!settings.renderDriver.empty()) {
         settings.renderDriver="";
         e->setConf("renderDriver","");
         e->saveConf();
-        lastError=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render driver has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
+        lastError+=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render driver has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
       }
     }
     return false;
@@ -6362,16 +6362,16 @@ bool FurnaceGUI::init() {
   if (!rend->init(sdlWin)) {
     if (settings.renderBackend!="SDL") {
       settings.renderBackend="SDL";
-      e->setConf("renderBackend","");
+      e->setConf("renderBackend","SDL");
       e->saveConf();
-      lastError=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render backend has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
+      lastError=fmt::sprintf("could not init renderer!\r\nthe render backend has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
     } else {
       lastError=fmt::sprintf("could not init renderer! %s",SDL_GetError());
       if (!settings.renderDriver.empty()) {
         settings.renderDriver="";
         e->setConf("renderDriver","");
         e->saveConf();
-        lastError=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render driver has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
+        lastError+=fmt::sprintf("\r\nthe render driver has been set to a safe value. please restart Furnace.");
       }
     }
     return false;