diff --git a/Source/i_main.c b/Source/i_main.c
index 6f0d7491..cc543aca 100644
--- a/Source/i_main.c
+++ b/Source/i_main.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include "i_system.h"
 
 // haleyjd: SDL init flags
-#define BASE_INIT_FLAGS (SDL_INIT_VIDEO | SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK)
+#define BASE_INIT_FLAGS SDL_INIT_VIDEO
 
 #ifdef _DEBUG
 #define INIT_FLAGS (BASE_INIT_FLAGS | SDL_INIT_NOPARACHUTE)
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
    // haleyjd: init SDL
    if(SDL_Init(INIT_FLAGS) == -1)
    {
-      puts("Failed to initialize SDL library.\n");
+      printf("Failed to initialize SDL library: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
       return -1;
    }
       
diff --git a/Source/i_sound.c b/Source/i_sound.c
index 156e26da..4c8501ce 100644
--- a/Source/i_sound.c
+++ b/Source/i_sound.c
@@ -669,9 +669,10 @@ void I_InitSound(void)
       audio_buffers = SAMPLECOUNT * snd_samplerate / 11025;
 
       // haleyjd: the docs say we should do this
-      if(SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO))
+      // In SDL2, SDL_InitSubSystem() and SDL_Init() are interchangeable.
+      if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_AUDIO) < 0)
       {
-         printf("Couldn't initialize SDL audio.\n");
+         printf("Couldn't initialize SDL audio: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
          snd_card = 0;
          mus_card = 0;
          return;
diff --git a/Source/i_system.c b/Source/i_system.c
index cadef762..5cceaee9 100644
--- a/Source/i_system.c
+++ b/Source/i_system.c
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ void I_InitJoystick(void)
 
     if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) < 0)
     {
+        printf("Failed to initialize joystick: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
         return;
     }