diff --git a/clients/window.c b/clients/window.c
index 57e27b84f..d75a0ac8c 100644
--- a/clients/window.c
+++ b/clients/window.c
@@ -671,6 +671,10 @@ create_pointer_surfaces(struct display *display)
 			display_create_surface_from_file(display,
 							 pointer_images[i].filename,
 							 &rect);
+		if (!display->pointer_surfaces[i]) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Error loading pointer image: %s\n",
+				pointer_images[i].filename);
+		}
 	}
 
 }
@@ -1172,6 +1176,10 @@ set_pointer_image(struct input *input, uint32_t time, int pointer)
 
 	input->current_pointer_image = pointer;
 	surface = display->pointer_surfaces[pointer];
+
+	if (!surface)
+		return;
+
 	buffer = display_get_buffer_for_surface(display, surface);
 	wl_input_device_attach(input->input_device, time, buffer,
 			       pointer_images[pointer].hotspot_x,
diff --git a/compositor/compositor.c b/compositor/compositor.c
index 8fff0d1c6..772b0bbe6 100644
--- a/compositor/compositor.c
+++ b/compositor/compositor.c
@@ -559,6 +559,10 @@ create_pointer_images(struct wlsc_compositor *ec)
 			create_sprite_from_png(ec,
 					       pointer_images[i].filename,
 					       SPRITE_USE_CURSOR);
+		if (!ec->pointer_sprites[i]) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Error loading pointer image: %s\n",
+				pointer_images[i].filename);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1190,6 +1194,9 @@ static void
 wlsc_input_device_attach_sprite(struct wlsc_input_device *device,
 				struct wlsc_sprite *sprite, int x, int y)
 {
+	if (!sprite)
+		return;
+
 	wlsc_sprite_attach(sprite, &device->sprite->surface);
 	wlsc_input_device_attach(device, x, y, sprite->width, sprite->height);
 }