diff --git a/fish/fish.c b/fish/fish.c
index 25e49c7e6..b24c49c7a 100644
--- a/fish/fish.c
+++ b/fish/fish.c
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
           }
         }
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "selinux")) {
-        guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1);
+        if (guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1) == -1)
+          exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "keys-from-stdin")) {
         keys_from_stdin = 1;
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "progress-bars")) {
@@ -290,7 +291,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "pipe-error")) {
         pipe_error = 1;
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "network")) {
-        guestfs_set_network (g, 1);
+        if (guestfs_set_network (g, 1) == -1)
+          exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
       } else {
         fprintf (stderr, _("%s: unknown long option: %s (%d)\n"),
                  program_name, long_options[option_index].name, option_index);
diff --git a/fuse/guestmount.c b/fuse/guestmount.c
index ec8439adb..3fa868de7 100644
--- a/fuse/guestmount.c
+++ b/fuse/guestmount.c
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
         dir_cache_timeout = atoi (optarg);
       else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "fuse-help"))
         fuse_help ();
-      else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "selinux"))
-        guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1);
-      else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "format")) {
+      else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "selinux")) {
+        if (guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1) == -1)
+          exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
+      } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "format")) {
         if (!optarg || STREQ (optarg, ""))
           format = NULL;
         else
@@ -357,7 +358,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   }
 
   /* If we're forking, we can't use the recovery process. */
-  guestfs_set_recovery_proc (g, !do_fork);
+  if (guestfs_set_recovery_proc (g, !do_fork) == -1)
+    exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
 
   /* Do the guest drives and mountpoints. */
   add_drives (drvs, 'a');
diff --git a/rescue/virt-rescue.c b/rescue/virt-rescue.c
index c0e5f5620..5de47793d 100644
--- a/rescue/virt-rescue.c
+++ b/rescue/virt-rescue.c
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     switch (c) {
     case 0:			/* options which are long only */
       if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "selinux")) {
-        guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1);
+        if (guestfs_set_selinux (g, 1) == -1)
+          exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "append")) {
         append = optarg;
       } else if (STREQ (long_options[option_index].name, "network")) {
@@ -309,7 +310,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     usage (EXIT_FAILURE);
 
   /* Setting "direct mode" is required for the rescue appliance. */
-  guestfs_set_direct (g, 1);
+  if (guestfs_set_direct (g, 1) == -1)
+    exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
 
   /* The libvirt backend doesn't support direct mode.  As a temporary
    * workaround, force the appliance backend, but warn about it.
@@ -321,18 +323,22 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       fprintf (stderr, _("%s: warning: virt-rescue doesn't work with the libvirt backend\n"
                          "at the moment.  As a workaround, forcing attach-method = 'appliance'.\n"),
                program_name);
-      guestfs_set_attach_method (g, "appliance");
+      if (guestfs_set_attach_method (g, "appliance") == -1)
+        exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
     free (attach_method);
   }
 
   /* Set other features. */
   if (memsize > 0)
-    guestfs_set_memsize (g, memsize);
+    if (guestfs_set_memsize (g, memsize) == -1)
+      exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   if (network)
-    guestfs_set_network (g, 1);
+    if (guestfs_set_network (g, 1) == -1)
+      exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   if (smp >= 1)
-    guestfs_set_smp (g, smp);
+    if (guestfs_set_smp (g, smp) == -1)
+      exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
 
   /* Kernel command line must include guestfs_rescue=1 (see
    * appliance/init) as well as other options.
@@ -340,7 +346,8 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   append_full = xasprintf ("guestfs_rescue=1%s%s",
                            append ? " " : "",
                            append ? append : "");
-  guestfs_set_append (g, append_full);
+  if (guestfs_set_append (g, append_full) == -1)
+    exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   free (append_full);
 
   /* Add drives. */