diff --git a/src/menu.c b/src/menu.c
index 0af694c..4e2389d 100644
--- a/src/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu.c
@@ -243,6 +243,10 @@ void context_menu(void)
                         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
                 }
                 execvp(settings.dmenu_cmd[0], settings.dmenu_cmd);
+                fprintf(stderr, "Warning: failed to execute '%s': %s\n",
+                                settings.dmenu,
+                                strerror(errno));
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         } else {
                 close(child_io[0]);
                 close(parent_io[1]);