diff --git a/bin/core/imag/src/main.rs b/bin/core/imag/src/main.rs
index 590c1bbc..9c9d817d 100644
--- a/bin/core/imag/src/main.rs
+++ b/bin/core/imag/src/main.rs
@@ -195,7 +195,11 @@ fn main() {
     let enable_logging = app.enable_logging();
     let matches = app.matches();
 
-    let rtp = ::libimagrt::runtime::get_rtp_match(&matches);
+    let rtp = ::libimagrt::runtime::get_rtp_match(&matches)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+            trace_error(&e);
+            exit(1)
+        });
     let configpath = matches
         .value_of(Runtime::arg_config_name())
         .map_or_else(|| rtp.clone(), PathBuf::from);
diff --git a/lib/core/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs b/lib/core/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
index 8845616d..43fa1eaf 100644
--- a/lib/core/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/lib/core/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
     {
         let matches = cli_app.clone().matches();
 
-        let rtp = get_rtp_match(&matches);
+        let rtp = get_rtp_match(&matches)?;
 
         let configpath = matches.value_of(Runtime::arg_config_name())
                                 .map_or_else(|| rtp.clone(), PathBuf::from);
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
             Runtime::init_logger(&matches, config.as_ref())
         }
 
-        let rtp = get_rtp_match(&matches);
+        let rtp = get_rtp_match(&matches)?;
 
         let storepath = matches.value_of(Runtime::arg_storepath_name())
                                 .map_or_else(|| {
@@ -640,24 +640,26 @@ pub trait IdPathProvider {
 }
 
 /// Exported for the `imag` command, you probably do not want to use that.
-pub fn get_rtp_match<'a>(matches: &ArgMatches<'a>) -> PathBuf {
-    matches.value_of(Runtime::arg_runtimepath_name())
-        .map_or_else(|| {
-            if let Ok(home) = env::var("IMAG_RTP") {
-                return PathBuf::from(home);
-            }
+pub fn get_rtp_match<'a>(matches: &ArgMatches<'a>) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    if let Some(p) = matches
+        .value_of(Runtime::arg_runtimepath_name())
+        .map(PathBuf::from)
+    {
+        return Ok(p)
+    }
 
-            match env::var("HOME") {
-                Ok(home) => {
-                    let mut p = PathBuf::from(home);
-                    p.push(".imag");
-                    return p;
-                },
-                Err(_) => panic!("You seem to be $HOME-less. Please get a $HOME before using this \
-                    software. We are sorry for you and hope you have some \
-                    accommodation anyways."),
-            }
-        }, PathBuf::from)
+    if let Ok(home) = env::var("IMAG_RTP") {
+        return Ok(PathBuf::from(home))
+    }
+
+    env::var("HOME")
+        .map(PathBuf::from)
+        .map(|mut p| { p.push(".imag"); p })
+        .map_err(|_| {
+            err_msg("You seem to be $HOME-less. Please get a $HOME before using this \
+                software. We are sorry for you and hope you have some \
+                accommodation anyways.")
+        })
 }
 
 fn get_override_specs(matches: &ArgMatches) -> Vec<String> {