diff --git a/incl/yaze.h b/incl/yaze.h
index 1d4e556c..4813f2b0 100644
--- a/incl/yaze.h
+++ b/incl/yaze.h
@@ -18,11 +18,19 @@ typedef struct yaze_project yaze_project;
 typedef struct yaze_editor_context {
   z3_rom* rom;
   yaze_project* project;
+  const char* error_message;
 } yaze_editor_context;
 
+typedef enum yaze_status {
+  YAZE_UNKNOWN = -1,
+  YAZE_OK = 0,
+  YAZE_ERROR = 1,
+} yaze_status;
+
 void yaze_check_version(const char* version);
-int yaze_init(yaze_editor_context*);
-void yaze_cleanup(yaze_editor_context*);
+
+yaze_status yaze_init(yaze_editor_context*);
+yaze_status yaze_shutdown(yaze_editor_context*);
 
 struct yaze_project {
   const char* name;
diff --git a/src/yaze.cc b/src/yaze.cc
index 08d10b15..fa8a35f5 100644
--- a/src/yaze.cc
+++ b/src/yaze.cc
@@ -22,23 +22,26 @@ void yaze_check_version(const char *version) {
   }
 }
 
-int yaze_init(yaze_editor_context *yaze_ctx) {
+yaze_status yaze_init(yaze_editor_context *yaze_ctx) {
   if (yaze_ctx->project->rom_filename == nullptr) {
-    return -1;
+    yaze_ctx->error_message = "ROM filename is null";
+    return yaze_status::YAZE_ERROR;
   }
 
   yaze_ctx->rom = yaze_load_rom(yaze_ctx->project->rom_filename);
   if (yaze_ctx->rom == nullptr) {
-    return -1;
+    yaze_ctx->error_message = "Failed to load ROM";
+    return yaze_status::YAZE_ERROR;
   }
 
-  return 0;
+  return yaze_status::YAZE_OK;
 }
 
-void yaze_cleanup(yaze_editor_context *yaze_ctx) {
+yaze_status yaze_shutdown(yaze_editor_context *yaze_ctx) {
   if (yaze_ctx->rom) {
     yaze_unload_rom(yaze_ctx->rom);
   }
+  return yaze_status::YAZE_OK;
 }
 
 yaze_project yaze_load_project(const char *filename) {