diff --git a/gateway/gateway.go b/gateway/gateway.go
index 2180f930..fefbaeb2 100644
--- a/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func New(cfg *config.Config, gateway *config.Gateway) error {
 	for _, br := range gw.Bridges {
 		err := br.Connect()
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("Bridge %s failed to start. Exiting", br.FullOrigin())
+			log.Fatalf("Bridge %s failed to start: %v", br.FullOrigin(), err)
 		}
 		for _, channel := range append(gw.ChannelsOut[br.FullOrigin()], gw.ChannelsIn[br.FullOrigin()]...) {
 			if exists[br.FullOrigin()+channel] {
diff --git a/gateway/samechannel/samechannel.go b/gateway/samechannel/samechannel.go
index 1ed43750..c7b3d624 100644
--- a/gateway/samechannel/samechannel.go
+++ b/gateway/samechannel/samechannel.go
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ func New(cfg *config.Config, gateway *config.SameChannelGateway) error {
 		gw.Bridges = append(gw.Bridges, bridge.New(cfg, &br, c))
 	}
 	for _, br := range gw.Bridges {
-		br.Connect()
+		err := br.Connect()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Bridge %s failed to start: %v", br.FullOrigin(), err)
+		}
 		for _, channel := range gw.Channels {
 			log.Infof("%s: joining %s", br.FullOrigin(), channel)
 			br.JoinChannel(channel)