diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index abf2f782..05d5b606 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ client_init(char *path, struct client_ctx *cctx, int cmdflags, int flags)
 	}
 
 	if ((fd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) == -1)
-		fatal("socket");
+		fatal("socket failed");
 
 	if (connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *) &sa, SUN_LEN(&sa)) == -1) {
 		if (errno == ECONNREFUSED) {
diff --git a/names.c b/names.c
index 75f6c7b8..014a600c 100644
--- a/names.c
+++ b/names.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ set_window_names(void)
 	struct timeval	 tv, tv2;
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_LENGTH(&windows); i++) {
 		w = ARRAY_ITEM(&windows, i);
diff --git a/paste.c b/paste.c
index f78c0241..582645d5 100644
--- a/paste.c
+++ b/paste.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ paste_add(struct paste_stack *ps, u_char *data, size_t size, u_int limit)
 	pb->data = data;
 	pb->size = size;
 	if (gettimeofday(&pb->tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 }
 
 int
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ paste_replace(struct paste_stack *ps, u_int idx, u_char *data, size_t size)
 	pb->data = data;
 	pb->size = size;
 	if (gettimeofday(&pb->tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 
 	return (0);
 }
diff --git a/server-fn.c b/server-fn.c
index d39108dd..4bb2ed92 100644
--- a/server-fn.c
+++ b/server-fn.c
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ server_set_identify(struct client *c)
 	tv.tv_usec = (delay % 1000) * 1000L;
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&c->identify_timer, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 	timeradd(&c->identify_timer, &tv, &c->identify_timer);
 
 	c->flags |= CLIENT_IDENTIFY;
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 2262b4fe..73998042 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ server_child_signal(void)
 		case -1:
 			if (errno == ECHILD)
 				return;
-			fatal("waitpid");
+			fatal("waitpid failed");
 		case 0:
 			return;
 		}
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ server_check_timers(struct client *c)
 	s = c->session;
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 
 	if (c->flags & CLIENT_IDENTIFY && timercmp(&tv, &c->identify_timer, >))
 		server_clear_identify(c);
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ server_handle_client(struct client *c)
 	xtimeout = options_get_number(&c->session->options, "repeat-time");
 	if (xtimeout != 0 && c->flags & CLIENT_REPEAT) {
 		if (gettimeofday(&tv, NULL) != 0)
-			fatal("gettimeofday");
+			fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 		if (timercmp(&tv, &c->repeat_timer, >))
 			c->flags &= ~(CLIENT_PREFIX|CLIENT_REPEAT);
 	}
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ server_handle_client(struct client *c)
 			tv.tv_sec = xtimeout / 1000;
 			tv.tv_usec = (xtimeout % 1000) * 1000L;
 			if (gettimeofday(&c->repeat_timer, NULL) != 0)
-				fatal("gettimeofday");
+				fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 			timeradd(&c->repeat_timer, &tv, &c->repeat_timer);
 		}
 
diff --git a/session.c b/session.c
index fd2345b3..fb49a365 100644
--- a/session.c
+++ b/session.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ session_create(const char *name, const char *cmd, const char *cwd,
 	s->flags = 0;
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&s->tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 
 	s->curw = NULL;
 	SLIST_INIT(&s->lastw);
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 7e25f235..77062729 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ status_redraw(struct client *c)
 	screen_init(&c->status, c->tty.sx, 1, 0);
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&c->status_timer, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 	memcpy(&stdgc, &grid_default_cell, sizeof gc);
 	colour_set_fg(&stdgc, options_get_number(&s->options, "status-fg"));
 	colour_set_bg(&stdgc, options_get_number(&s->options, "status-bg"));
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ status_replace(struct session *s, const char *fmt, time_t t)
 			case 'H':
 				if (ptr == NULL) {
 					if (gethostname(tmp, sizeof tmp) != 0)
-						fatal("gethostname");
+						fatal("gethostname failed");
 					ptr = tmp;
 				}
 				/* FALLTHROUGH */
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
 	tv.tv_usec = (delay % 1000) * 1000L;
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&c->message_timer, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 	timeradd(&c->message_timer, &tv, &c->message_timer);
 
 	c->tty.flags |= (TTY_NOCURSOR|TTY_FREEZE);
diff --git a/tty-keys.c b/tty-keys.c
index f25dc169..11a3187f 100644
--- a/tty-keys.c
+++ b/tty-keys.c
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ tty_keys_next(struct tty *tty, int *key, u_char *mouse)
 		tv.tv_sec = 0;
 		tv.tv_usec = ESCAPE_PERIOD * 1000L;
 		if (gettimeofday(&tty->key_timer, NULL) != 0)
-			fatal("gettimeofday");
+			fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 		timeradd(&tty->key_timer, &tv, &tty->key_timer);
 
 		tty->flags |= TTY_ESCAPE;
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ tty_keys_next(struct tty *tty, int *key, u_char *mouse)
 
 	/* If the timer hasn't expired, keep waiting. */
 	if (gettimeofday(&tv, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 	if (timercmp(&tty->key_timer, &tv, >))
 		return (1);
 
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 5683f174..b663acf3 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ window_pane_spawn(struct window_pane *wp, const char *cmd, const char *shell,
 	ws.ws_row = screen_size_y(&wp->base);
 
 	if (gettimeofday(&wp->window->name_timer, NULL) != 0)
-		fatal("gettimeofday");
+		fatal("gettimeofday failed");
 	tv.tv_sec = 0;
 	tv.tv_usec = NAME_INTERVAL * 1000L;
 	timeradd(&wp->window->name_timer, &tv, &wp->window->name_timer);