diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index a07b1912..b179862d 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -538,6 +538,7 @@ initialize_fonts(const struct terminal *term, const struct config *conf,
         (fonts[3] = font_from_name(count, names, attrs3)) != NULL;
 
     if (!ret) {
+        LOG_ERR("failed to load primary fonts");
         for (size_t i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
             font_destroy(fonts[i]);
             fonts[i] = NULL;