diff --git a/libs/directx/dx/Window.hx b/libs/directx/dx/Window.hx
index a0c5b7872..e0089e09b 100644
--- a/libs/directx/dx/Window.hx
+++ b/libs/directx/dx/Window.hx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Window {
 
 	public function new( title : String, width : Int, height : Int, x : Int = CW_USEDEFAULT, y : Int = CW_USEDEFAULT, windowFlags : Int = RESIZABLE ) {
 		win = winCreateEx(x, y, width, height, windowFlags);
+		if( win == null ) throw "Failed to create window (" + winError() + ")";
 		this.title = title;
 		windows.push(this);
 		vsync = true;
@@ -238,6 +239,14 @@ class Window {
 	static function winDestroy( win : WinPtr ) {
 	}
 
+	static function winError() {
+		return @:privateAccess String.fromUTF8(win_error());
+	}
+
+	static function win_error() : hl.Bytes {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	public static function getScreenWidth() {
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -253,4 +262,4 @@ class Window {
 	static function winClipCursor( win : WinPtr ) : Void {
 	}
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/libs/directx/window.c b/libs/directx/window.c
index 5f5743f95..52a1c2217 100644
--- a/libs/directx/window.c
+++ b/libs/directx/window.c
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc( HWND wnd, UINT umsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lpar
 	case WM_SYSCOMMAND:
 		if( wparam == SC_KEYMENU && (lparam>>16) <= 0 )
 			return 0;
-		break;	
-	case WM_MOUSEMOVE: 
+		break;
+	case WM_MOUSEMOVE:
 		{
 			dx_events *evt = get_events(wnd);
 			if( !evt->is_over ) {
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc( HWND wnd, UINT umsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lpar
 				evt->is_over = true;
 				addState(Enter);
 			}
-			addMouse(MouseMove,0); 
+			addMouse(MouseMove,0);
 		}
 		break;
 	case WM_MOUSELEAVE:
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc( HWND wnd, UINT umsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lpar
 			}
 		}
 		bool repeat = (umsg == WM_KEYDOWN || umsg == WM_SYSKEYDOWN) && (lparam & 0x40000000) != 0;
-		// see 
+		// see
 		e = addEvent(wnd,(umsg == WM_KEYUP || umsg == WM_SYSKEYUP) ? KeyUp : KeyDown);
 		e->keyCode = (int)wparam;
 		e->scanCode = (lparam >> 16) & 0xFF;
@@ -201,13 +201,13 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc( HWND wnd, UINT umsg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lpar
 			shift_downs[0] = false;
 			e = addEvent(wnd,KeyUp);
 			e->keyCode = VK_SHIFT | 256;
-		}			
+		}
 		if( shift_downs[1] && GetKeyState(VK_RSHIFT) >= 0 ) {
 			//printf("RSHIFT RELEASED\n");
 			shift_downs[1] = false;
 			e = addEvent(wnd,KeyUp);
 			e->keyCode = VK_SHIFT | 512;
-		}			
+		}
 		break;
 	case WM_CHAR:
 		e = addEvent(wnd,TextInput);
@@ -541,6 +541,10 @@ HL_PRIM void HL_NAME(win_destroy)(dx_window *win) {
 	DestroyWindow(win);
 }
 
+HL_PRIM vbyte *HL_NAME(win_error)() {
+	return GetLastError();
+}
+
 HL_PRIM bool HL_NAME(win_get_next_event)( dx_window *win, dx_event *e ) {
 	dx_events *buf = get_events(win);
 	hl_type *save;
@@ -593,6 +597,7 @@ DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_get_position, TWIN _REF(_I32) _REF(_I32));
 DEFINE_PRIM(_F64, win_get_opacity, TWIN);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_BOOL, win_set_opacity, TWIN _F64);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_destroy, TWIN);
+DEFINE_PRIM(_BYTES, win_error, _NO_ARG);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_BOOL, win_get_next_event, TWIN _DYN);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_clip_cursor, TWIN);
 
diff --git a/libs/sdl/sdl.c b/libs/sdl/sdl.c
index bbcfb3f3e..d47180b14 100644
--- a/libs/sdl/sdl.c
+++ b/libs/sdl/sdl.c
@@ -592,6 +592,10 @@ HL_PRIM void HL_NAME(win_destroy)(SDL_Window *win, SDL_GLContext gl) {
 	SDL_GL_DeleteContext(gl);
 }
 
+HL_PRIM const char *HL_NAME(win_error)() {
+	return SDL_GetError();
+}
+
 #define TWIN _ABSTRACT(sdl_window)
 #define TGL _ABSTRACT(sdl_gl)
 DEFINE_PRIM(TWIN, win_create_ex, _I32 _I32 _I32 _I32 _I32);
@@ -613,6 +617,7 @@ DEFINE_PRIM(_BOOL, win_set_opacity, TWIN _F64);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_swap_window, TWIN);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_render_to, TWIN TGL);
 DEFINE_PRIM(_VOID, win_destroy, TWIN TGL);
+DEFINE_PRIM(_BYTES, win_error, _NO_ARG);
 
 // game controller
 
diff --git a/libs/sdl/sdl/Window.hx b/libs/sdl/sdl/Window.hx
index 899307101..aac00ab00 100644
--- a/libs/sdl/sdl/Window.hx
+++ b/libs/sdl/sdl/Window.hx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class Window {
 	public function new( title : String, width : Int, height : Int, x : Int = SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, y : Int = SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, sdlFlags : Int = SDL_WINDOW_SHOWN | SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE ) {
 		while( true ) {
 			win = winCreateEx(x, y, width, height, sdlFlags);
-			if( win == null ) throw "Failed to create window";
+			if( win == null ) throw "Failed to create window (" + winError() + ")";
 			glctx = winGetGLContext(win);
 			if( glctx == null || !GL.init() || !testGL() ) {
 				destroy();
@@ -332,6 +332,14 @@ class Window {
 	static function winDestroy( win : WinPtr, gl : GLContext ) {
 	}
 
+	static function winError() {
+		return @:privateAccess String.fromUTF8(win_error());
+	}
+
+	static function win_error() : hl.Bytes {
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	static function setVsync( b : Bool ) {
 	}