diff --git a/draw.c b/draw.c
index 0459392..68b8cb7 100644
--- a/draw.c
+++ b/draw.c
@@ -78,9 +78,10 @@ drawtext(const char *text, unsigned long col[ColLast]) {
 unsigned long
 getcolor(const char *colstr) {
 	Colormap cmap = DefaultColormap(dpy, screen);
-	XColor color = {0};
+	XColor color;
 
-	XAllocNamedColor(dpy, cmap, colstr, &color, &color);
+	if(!XAllocNamedColor(dpy, cmap, colstr, &color, &color))
+		eprint("error, cannot allocate color '%s'\n", colstr);
 	return color.pixel;
 }