diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
index 8f5c3d346f..5ff8e3605a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
@@ -20,13 +20,20 @@ RageSoundManager::RageSoundManager(CString drivers)
 {
 	/* needs to be done first */
 	SOUNDMAN = this;
-	MixVolume = 1.0f;
 
-	driver = MakeRageSoundDriver(drivers);
-	if(!driver)
-		RageException::Throw("Couldn't find a sound driver that works");
+	try
+	{
+		MixVolume = 1.0f;
 
-	music = new RageSound;
+		driver = MakeRageSoundDriver(drivers);
+		if(!driver)
+			RageException::Throw("Couldn't find a sound driver that works");
+
+		music = new RageSound;
+	} catch(...) {
+		SOUNDMAN = NULL;
+		throw;
+	}
 }
 
 RageSoundManager::~RageSoundManager()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
index 0aba2f1833..4aca459acf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
@@ -51,16 +51,21 @@ SongManager::SongManager( LoadingWindow *ld )
 	/* We initialize things that assume they can get at SONGMAN; we only
 	 * init one of these, so hook us up to it immediately. */
 	SONGMAN = this;
+	try
+	{
+		g_vGroupColors.clear();
+		for( int i=0; i<NUM_GROUP_COLORS; i++ )
+			g_vGroupColors.push_back( GROUP_COLOR(i) );
+		g_ExtraColor = EXTRA_COLOR;
 
-	g_vGroupColors.clear();
-	for( int i=0; i<NUM_GROUP_COLORS; i++ )
-		g_vGroupColors.push_back( GROUP_COLOR(i) );
-	g_ExtraColor = EXTRA_COLOR;
+		InitSongArrayFromDisk( ld );
+		InitMachineScoresFromDisk();
 
-	InitSongArrayFromDisk( ld );
-	InitMachineScoresFromDisk();
-
-	InitCoursesFromDisk();
+		InitCoursesFromDisk();
+	} catch(...) {
+		SONGMAN = NULL;
+		throw;
+	}
 }
 
 SongManager::~SongManager()