diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.cpp
index 5428572acc..04c7451475 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.cpp
@@ -45,30 +45,30 @@ CString RageDisplay::PixelFormatToString( PixelFormat pixfmt )
 	return s[pixfmt];
 };
 
-// Return true if device was re-created and we need to reload textures.
-bool RageDisplay::SetVideoMode( VideoModeParams p )
+/* bNeedReloadTextures is set to true if the device was re-created and we need
+ * to reload textures.  On failure, an error message is returned. 
+ * XXX: the renderer itself should probably be the one to try fallback modes */
+CString RageDisplay::SetVideoMode( VideoModeParams p, bool &bNeedReloadTextures )
 {
-	bool bNeedReloadTextures;
-	
 	CString err;
 	err = this->TryVideoMode(p,bNeedReloadTextures);
 	if( err == "" )
-		return bNeedReloadTextures;
+		return "";
 	LOG->Trace( "TryVideoMode failed: %s", err.c_str() );
 	
 	// fall back
 	p.windowed = false;
 	if( this->TryVideoMode(p,bNeedReloadTextures) == "" )
-		return bNeedReloadTextures;
+		return "";
 	p.bpp = 16;
 	if( this->TryVideoMode(p,bNeedReloadTextures) == "" )
-		return bNeedReloadTextures;
+		return "";
 	p.width = 640;
 	p.height = 480;
 	if( this->TryVideoMode(p,bNeedReloadTextures) == "" )
-		return bNeedReloadTextures;
+		return "";
 
-	RageException::ThrowNonfatal( "SetVideoMode failed: %s", err.c_str() );
+	return ssprintf( "SetVideoMode failed: %s", err.c_str() );
 }
 
 void RageDisplay::ProcessStatsOnFlip()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
index 9485e7adae..d66a59a2c5 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public:
 	// Don't override this.  Override TryVideoMode() instead.
 	// This will set the video mode to be as close as possible to params.
 	// Return true if device was re-created and we need to reload textures.
-	bool SetVideoMode( VideoModeParams params );
+	CString SetVideoMode( VideoModeParams p, bool &bNeedReloadTextures );
 
 	/* Call this when the resolution has been changed externally: */
 	virtual void ResolutionChanged() { }
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
index 28e383d790..9e74c0e1f4 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
@@ -268,7 +268,10 @@ RageDisplay_D3D::RageDisplay_D3D( VideoModeParams p )
 		 * actually initialize the window.  Do this after as many error conditions
 		 * as possible, because if we have to shut it down again we'll flash a window
 		 * briefly. */
-		SetVideoMode( p );
+		bool bIgnore = false;
+		CString sError = SetVideoMode( p, bIgnore );
+		if( sError != "" )
+			RageException::ThrowNonfatal( sError );
 	} catch(...) {
 		// Clean up; ~RageDisplay will not be called.
 		if( g_pd3d )
@@ -629,9 +632,14 @@ bool RageDisplay_D3D::BeginFrame()
 	case D3DERR_DEVICELOST:
 		return false;
 	case D3DERR_DEVICENOTRESET:
-		SetVideoMode( GraphicsWindow::GetParams() );
+	{
+		bool bIgnore = false;
+		CString sError = SetVideoMode( GraphicsWindow::GetParams(), bIgnore );
+		if( sError != "" )
+			RageException::Throw( sError );
 		break;
 	}
+	}
 #endif
 
 	g_pd3dDevice->Clear( 0, NULL, D3DCLEAR_TARGET|D3DCLEAR_ZBUFFER,
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.cpp
index 2e507dff1a..60c1fd422d 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ static RageDisplay::PixelFormatDesc PIXEL_FORMAT_DESC[RageDisplay::NUM_PIX_FORMA
 RageDisplay_Null::RageDisplay_Null( VideoModeParams p )
 {
 	LOG->MapLog("renderer", "Current renderer: null");
-	SetVideoMode( p );
+	bool bIgnore = false;
+	SetVideoMode( p, bIgnore );
 }
 
 RageSurface* RageDisplay_Null::CreateScreenshot()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
index 04ea3e7c87..d10988bdaf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
@@ -368,12 +368,12 @@ RageDisplay_OGL::RageDisplay_OGL( VideoModeParams p, bool bAllowUnacceleratedRen
 
 	wind = MakeLowLevelWindow();
 
-	try {
-		SetVideoMode( p );
-	} catch(...) {
-		/* SetVideoMode can throw. */
+	bool bIgnore = false;
+	CString sError = SetVideoMode( p, bIgnore );
+	if( sError != "" )
+	{
 		delete wind;
-		throw;
+		RageException::ThrowNonfatal( sError );
 	}
 
 	// Log driver details
diff --git a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
index 993e5a81ba..1c5b784533 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,9 @@ void ApplyGraphicOptions()
 { 
 	bool bNeedReload = false;
 
-	bNeedReload |= DISPLAY->SetVideoMode( GetCurVideoModeParams() );
+	CString sError = DISPLAY->SetVideoMode( GetCurVideoModeParams(), bNeedReload );
+	if( sError != "" )
+		RageException::Throw( sError );
 
 	DISPLAY->ChangeCentering(
 		PREFSMAN->m_iCenterImageTranslateX,