diff --git a/source/application/StarMainApplication_sdl.cpp b/source/application/StarMainApplication_sdl.cpp
index 1b5a1f4..6053613 100644
--- a/source/application/StarMainApplication_sdl.cpp
+++ b/source/application/StarMainApplication_sdl.cpp
@@ -457,7 +457,8 @@ public:
           Thread::sleepPrecise(spareMilliseconds);
       }
     } catch (std::exception const& e) {
-      Logger::error("Application: exception thrown, shutting down: {}", outputException(e, true));
+      Logger::error("Application: exception thrown!");
+      fatalException(e, true);
     }
 
     try {
diff --git a/source/game/StarRoot.cpp b/source/game/StarRoot.cpp
index 7b8d495..e22f184 100644
--- a/source/game/StarRoot.cpp
+++ b/source/game/StarRoot.cpp
@@ -684,7 +684,8 @@ StringList Root::scanForAssetSources(StringList const& directories, StringList c
       if (auto requirement = namedSources.ptr(requirementName))
         dependencySortVisit(*requirement);
       else
-        throw StarException(strf("Asset source '{}' is missing dependency '{}'", *source->name, requirementName));
+        throw StarException(strf("Asset source '{}' is missing dependency '{}'{}", *source->name, requirementName,
+          requirementName != "base" ? "" : "\n\n(The base Starbound asset package could not be found, please copy it from another Starbound install!)\n"));
     }
 
     workingSet.remove(source);