diff --git a/src/kike.c b/src/kike.c
index 709d027..0f23b97 100644
--- a/src/kike.c
+++ b/src/kike.c
@@ -1045,9 +1045,8 @@ irc_ssl_verify_callback (int verify_ok, X509_STORE_CTX *ctx)
 }
 
 static bool
-irc_initialize_ssl (struct server_context *ctx)
+irc_initialize_ssl (struct server_context *ctx, struct error **e)
 {
-	// TODO: this could definitely return an error object
 	const char *ssl_cert = str_map_find (&ctx->config, "ssl_cert");
 	const char *ssl_key = str_map_find (&ctx->config, "ssl_key");
 
@@ -1057,18 +1056,18 @@ irc_initialize_ssl (struct server_context *ctx)
 		return true;
 
 	if (!ssl_cert)
-		print_error ("no SSL certificate set");
-	if (!ssl_key)
-		print_error ("no SSL private key set");
+		error_set (e, "no SSL certificate set");
+	else if (!ssl_key)
+		error_set (e, "no SSL private key set");
 	if (!ssl_cert || !ssl_key)
 		return false;
 
 	char *cert_path = resolve_config_filename (ssl_cert);
 	char *key_path = resolve_config_filename (ssl_key);
 	if (!cert_path)
-		print_error ("%s: %s", "cannot open file", ssl_cert);
-	if (!key_path)
-		print_error ("%s: %s", "cannot open file", ssl_key);
+		error_set (e, "%s: %s", "cannot open file", ssl_cert);
+	else if (!key_path)
+		error_set (e, "%s: %s", "cannot open file", ssl_key);
 	if (!cert_path || !key_path)
 		return false;
 
@@ -1077,7 +1076,7 @@ irc_initialize_ssl (struct server_context *ctx)
 	{
 		// XXX: these error strings are really nasty; also there could be
 		//   multiple errors on the OpenSSL stack.
-		print_error ("%s: %s", "could not initialize SSL",
+		error_set (e, "%s: %s", "could not initialize SSL",
 			ERR_error_string (ERR_get_error (), NULL));
 		goto error_ssl_1;
 	}
@@ -1088,13 +1087,13 @@ irc_initialize_ssl (struct server_context *ctx)
 	// XXX: perhaps we should read the files ourselves for better messages
 	if (!SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file (ctx->ssl_ctx, cert_path))
 	{
-		print_error ("%s: %s", "setting the SSL client certificate failed",
+		error_set (e, "%s: %s", "setting the SSL client certificate failed",
 			ERR_error_string (ERR_get_error (), NULL));
 		goto error_ssl_2;
 	}
 	if (!SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file (ctx->ssl_ctx, key_path, SSL_FILETYPE_PEM))
 	{
-		print_error ("%s: %s", "setting the SSL private key failed",
+		error_set (e, "%s: %s", "setting the SSL private key failed",
 			ERR_error_string (ERR_get_error (), NULL));
 		goto error_ssl_2;
 	}
@@ -1419,9 +1418,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	poller_set (&ctx.poller, g_signal_pipe[0], POLLIN,
 		(poller_dispatcher_func) on_signal_pipe_readable, &ctx);
 
-	if (!irc_initialize_ssl (&ctx))
-		exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
-	if (!irc_initialize_server_name (&ctx, &e)
+	if (!irc_initialize_ssl (&ctx, &e)
+	 || !irc_initialize_server_name (&ctx, &e)
 	 || !irc_initialize_motd (&ctx, &e)
 	 || !irc_initialize_catalog (&ctx, &e)
 	 || !irc_listen (&ctx, &e))