diff --git a/tunnel/src/tunnel.nim b/tunnel/src/tunnel.nim
index 17a753e..ecdc64c 100644
--- a/tunnel/src/tunnel.nim
+++ b/tunnel/src/tunnel.nim
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ import hwylterm, hwylterm/[hwylcli]
 
 
 proc check(name: string): bool = (execCmd &"ssh -O check {name}") == 0
-proc startSsh(name: string) = discard execCmd &"ssh -M -f -N {name}"
+proc startSsh(name: string): int = (execCmdEx &"ssh -q -M -f -N {name}").exitCode
 proc exitSsh(name: string): int = execCmd &"ssh -O exit {name}"
 
 proc activateTunnel(name: string, port: int) =
   echo "activating connection to: ", name
   if not check(name):
-    startSsh(name)
+    if startSsh(name) != 0:
+      quit "failed to start 'master' socket"
   quit execCmd &"""ssh -fqNL "{port}:localhost:{port}" {name}"""
 
 proc deactivateTunnels(name: string) =