diff --git a/.xinitrc b/.xinitrc
index eb2510fc..e29ad83c 100755
--- a/.xinitrc
+++ b/.xinitrc
@@ -7,19 +7,22 @@
 #
 
 die() {
-	echo "Failed to start session" >&2
+	if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+		echo "Failed to start session" >&2
+	else
+		echo "Failed to start session: $1" >&2
+	fi
 	exit 1
 }
 
 # Set up our session target
-which i3 > /dev/null 2>&1 && export STARTUP="i3"
-which bspwm > /dev/null 2>&1 && export STARTUP="bspwm"
-[ -x "$HOME/.concession/concession" ] && export STARTUP="$HOME/.concession/concession"
+command -v i3 > /dev/null 2>&1 && export STARTUP="i3"
+command -v bspwm > /dev/null 2>&1 && export STARTUP="bspwm"
 if [ -x "$HOME/.dsk/dsk-xinit" ]; then
 	export DSK_HOME="$HOME/.dsk"
 	export STARTUP="$DSK_HOME/dsk-xinit"
 fi
-[ -z ${STARTUP+x} ] && die
+[ -z ${STARTUP+x} ] && die "No session target available"
 
 # Execute Xsession stuff
 [ -r /etc/X11/Xsession ] && . /etc/X11/Xsession
@@ -28,5 +31,5 @@ fi
 [ -z "${STARTUP+x}" ] || exec "$STARTUP"
 
 # If we get here, we haven't exec'd a target and must die
-die
+die "Miscellaneous error"