diff --git a/sdlpp.hpp b/sdlpp.hpp
index 9dc5870..424f013 100644
--- a/sdlpp.hpp
+++ b/sdlpp.hpp
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ public:
     Font() = delete;
     Font(const std::string &font, int size) {
         font_ptr = TTF_OpenFont(font.c_str(), size);
+        if(font_ptr == NULL) {
+            std::cerr << "Unable to load font '" << font << "': TTF Error: " << TTF_GetError() << std::endl;
+            throw "TTF_OpenFont error";
+        }
     }
     ~Font() {
         TTF_CloseFont( font_ptr );