diff --git a/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.cpp b/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.cpp
index 374f952c..40e54da9 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void PLATFORM_getOSDirectory(char* output);
 void PLATFORM_migrateSaveData(char* output);
 void PLATFORM_copyFile(const char *oldLocation, const char *newLocation);
 
-void FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero)
+int FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero)
 {
 	char output[MAX_PATH];
 	int mkdirResult;
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ void FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero)
 #endif
 	if (!PHYSFS_mount(output, NULL, 1))
 	{
+		puts("Error: data.zip missing!");
+		puts("You do not have data.zip!");
+		puts("Grab it from your purchased copy of the game,");
+		puts("or get it from the free Make and Play Edition.");
+
 		SDL_ShowSimpleMessageBox(
 			SDL_MESSAGEBOX_ERROR,
 			"data.zip missing!",
@@ -86,7 +91,9 @@ void FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero)
 			"\nor get it from the free Make and Play Edition.",
 			NULL
 		);
+		return 0;
 	}
+	return 1;
 }
 
 void FILESYSTEM_deinit()
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.h b/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.h
index bcc7c5f5..26aa7a24 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.h
+++ b/desktop_version/src/FileSystemUtils.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
-void FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero);
+int FILESYSTEM_init(char *argvZero);
 void FILESYSTEM_deinit();
 
 char *FILESYSTEM_getUserSaveDirectory();
diff --git a/desktop_version/src/main.cpp b/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
index d423223b..c26ab749 100644
--- a/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
+++ b/desktop_version/src/main.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ scriptclass script;
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    FILESYSTEM_init(argv[0]);
+    if(!FILESYSTEM_init(argv[0]))
+    {
+        return 1;
+    }
     SDL_Init(
         SDL_INIT_VIDEO |
         SDL_INIT_AUDIO |