diff --git a/logcat_thread.cpp b/logcat_thread.cpp
index c6b4b48..bc92c01 100644
--- a/logcat_thread.cpp
+++ b/logcat_thread.cpp
@@ -7,26 +7,31 @@
 
 #define EPOLL_MAX_EVENTS 10
 
-LogcatThreadState::LogcatThreadState() {
-    this->epoll_fd = epoll_create1(EPOLL_CLOEXEC);
-    if (this->epoll_fd == -1) {
+LogcatThread::LogcatThread() {
+    this->_epoll_fd = epoll_create1(EPOLL_CLOEXEC);
+    if (this->_epoll_fd == -1) {
         throw make_system_error("epoll_create1()");
     }
+    this->_thread = std::thread(&LogcatThread::_run, this);
 }
 
-LogcatThreadState::~LogcatThreadState() {
-    if (close(this->epoll_fd)) {
+LogcatThread::~LogcatThread() {
+    if (this->_epoll_fd != -1 && close(this->_epoll_fd)) {
         log(std::string("Failed to close epoll file descriptor: ") + make_system_error("close()").what());
     }
 }
 
-void run_logcat_thread(LogcatThreadState* state) {
+void LogcatThread::join() {
+    this->_thread.join();
+}
+
+void LogcatThread::_run() {
     struct epoll_event events[EPOLL_MAX_EVENTS];
 
     // TODO break when run_main_loop is false
     while (true) {
         printf("(boop)\n");
-        int ready_fds = epoll_wait(state->epoll_fd, events, EPOLL_MAX_EVENTS, 1000);
+        int ready_fds = epoll_wait(this->_epoll_fd, events, EPOLL_MAX_EVENTS, 1000);
         if (ready_fds == -1) {
             printf("%s\n", format_log(make_system_error("epoll_wait()").what()).c_str());
             break;
diff --git a/logcat_thread.h b/logcat_thread.h
index 84098f5..cf8976c 100644
--- a/logcat_thread.h
+++ b/logcat_thread.h
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 #pragma once
 
-struct LogcatThreadState {
+#include <thread>
+
+class LogcatThread {
+public:
     // https://stackoverflow.com/a/2173764
-    LogcatThreadState(const LogcatThreadState&) = delete;
-    LogcatThreadState& operator=(const LogcatThreadState&) = delete;
+    LogcatThread(const LogcatThread&) = delete;
+    LogcatThread& operator=(const LogcatThread&) = delete;
 
-    LogcatThreadState();
-    ~LogcatThreadState();
+    LogcatThread();
+    ~LogcatThread();
+    void join();
 
-    int epoll_fd;
+private:
+    void _run();
+
+    int _epoll_fd = -1;
+    std::thread _thread;
 };
-
-void run_logcat_thread(LogcatThreadState* state);
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 26fb1f7..a8de46f 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ int main(int, char**) {
     // depending on whether SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER is enabled or disabled.. updating to the latest version of SDL is recommended!)
     if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO | SDL_INIT_TIMER | SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER) != 0)
     {
-        printf("Error: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
-        return -1;
+        fprintf(stderr, "SDL_Init(): %s\n", SDL_GetError());
+        return 1;
     }
 
     // Decide GL+GLSL versions
@@ -131,8 +131,14 @@ int main(int, char**) {
     // Main loop
     bool run_event_loop = true;
     float config_write_timer = 0.0f;
-    LogcatThreadState logcat_thread_state;
-    std::thread logcat_thread(run_logcat_thread, &logcat_thread_state);
+    LogcatThread logcat_thread = [&]() {
+        try {
+            return LogcatThread();
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Failed to spawn logcat thread: %s\n", e.what());
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }();
 
     while (run_event_loop) {
         // Poll and handle events (inputs, window resize, etc.)