diff --git a/src/lib/direct.c b/src/lib/direct.c
index 60cbed33d..6b69a99d0 100644
--- a/src/lib/direct.c
+++ b/src/lib/direct.c
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ int ncdirect_printf_aligned(ncdirect* n, int y, ncalign_e align, const char* fmt
 }
 
 static int
-ncdirect_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack){
+ncdirect_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack, int errret){
   ncdirect* nc = vnc;
   int ret = drop_signals(nc, altstack);
   fbuf f = {0};
@@ -862,6 +862,9 @@ ncdirect_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack){
 #ifndef __MINGW32__
   del_curterm(cur_term);
 #endif
+  if(errret){
+    ret = errret;
+  }
   return ret;
 }
 
@@ -955,7 +958,7 @@ int ncdirect_stop(ncdirect* nc){
   int ret = 0;
   if(nc){
     void* altstack;
-    ret |= ncdirect_stop_minimal(nc, &altstack);
+    ret |= ncdirect_stop_minimal(nc, &altstack, 0);
     free_terminfo_cache(&nc->tcache);
     if(nc->tcache.ttyfd >= 0){
       ret |= close(nc->tcache.ttyfd);
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 1228d206e..0bca9f077 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ int reset_term_palette(const tinfo* ti, fbuf* f, unsigned touchedpalette){
 // to tear down and account for internal structures. note that we do lots of
 // shit here that is unsafe within a signal handler =[ FIXME.
 static int
-notcurses_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack){
+notcurses_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack, int errret){
   notcurses* nc = vnc;
   int ret = 0;
   ret |= drop_signals(nc, altstack);
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ notcurses_stop_minimal(void* vnc, void** altstack){
       }
     }
   }
+  if(errret){
+    ret = errret;
+  }
   logdebug("restored terminal, returning %d", ret);
   return ret;
 }
@@ -1390,7 +1393,7 @@ notcurses* notcurses_core_init(const notcurses_options* opts, FILE* outfp){
 err:{
     void* altstack;
     logpanic("alas, you will not be going to space today.");
-    notcurses_stop_minimal(ret, &altstack);
+    notcurses_stop_minimal(ret, &altstack, -1);
     fbuf_free(&ret->rstate.f);
     if(ret->tcache.ttyfd >= 0 && ret->tcache.tpreserved){
       (void)tcsetattr(ret->tcache.ttyfd, TCSAFLUSH, ret->tcache.tpreserved);
@@ -1449,7 +1452,7 @@ int notcurses_stop(notcurses* nc){
   int ret = 0;
   if(nc){
     void* altstack;
-    ret |= notcurses_stop_minimal(nc, &altstack);
+    ret |= notcurses_stop_minimal(nc, &altstack, 0);
     // if we were not using the alternate screen, our cursor's wherever we last
     // wrote. move it to the furthest place to which it advanced.
     if(!get_escape(&nc->tcache, ESCAPE_SMCUP)){
diff --git a/src/lib/unixsig.c b/src/lib/unixsig.c
index b7d458a34..bd93009e2 100644
--- a/src/lib/unixsig.c
+++ b/src/lib/unixsig.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ int drop_signals(void* nc, void** altstack){
 // inhibited), and ensures that only one notcurses/ncdirect context is active
 // at any given time.
 int setup_signals(void* vnc, bool no_quit_sigs, bool no_winch_sigs,
-                  int(*handler)(void*, void**)){
+                  int(*handler)(void*, void**, int)){
   (void)no_quit_sigs;
   (void)no_winch_sigs;
   (void)handler;
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ static struct sigaction old_term;
 // Prepared in setup_signals(), and never changes across our lifetime.
 static sigset_t wblock_signals;
 
-static int(*fatal_callback)(void*, void**); // fatal handler callback
+// fatal handler callback, takes notcurses struct, pointer to altstack,
+// and return value override.
+static int(*fatal_callback)(void*, void**, int);
 
 int block_signals(sigset_t* old_blocked_signals){
   if(pthread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &wblock_signals, old_blocked_signals)){
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ static void
 fatal_handler(int signo, siginfo_t* siginfo, void* v){
   notcurses* nc = atomic_load(&signal_nc);
   if(nc){
-    fatal_callback(nc, NULL); // fuck the alt stack save yourselves
+    fatal_callback(nc, NULL, signo); // fuck the alt stack save yourselves
     switch(signo){
       case SIGTERM: invoke_old(&old_term, signo, siginfo, v); break;
       case SIGSEGV: invoke_old(&old_segv, signo, siginfo, v); break;
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ void setup_alt_sig_stack(void){
 // inhibited), and ensures that only one notcurses/ncdirect context is active
 // at any given time.
 int setup_signals(void* vnc, bool no_quit_sigs, bool no_winch_sigs,
-                  int(*handler)(void*, void**)){
+                  int(*handler)(void*, void**, int)){
   notcurses* nc = vnc;
   void* expected = NULL;
   struct sigaction sa;
diff --git a/src/lib/unixsig.h b/src/lib/unixsig.h
index 9ff96c698..704130912 100644
--- a/src/lib/unixsig.h
+++ b/src/lib/unixsig.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <signal.h>
 
 int setup_signals(void* nc, bool no_quit_sigs, bool no_winch_sig,
-                  int(*handler)(void*, void**));
+                  int(*handler)(void*, void**, int));
 
 // call at the beginning of shutdown (we don't want to run fatal signal
 // handlers during shutdown!). altstack is written to be freed late.