diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/Config.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/Config.cs
index 366a142d62..93bc0eea4c 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/Config.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/Config.cs
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
 		public int DispMultix = 36;
 		public int DispMultiy = 0;
 		public int DispMultianchor = 0;
-		public bool ForceGDI = false;
+		public bool DisplayGDI = false;
 		public bool DisplayStatusBar = true;
 
 		// Sound options
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.Designer.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.Designer.cs
index 4d5b0128db..e213176b68 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.Designer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.Designer.cs
@@ -1215,7 +1215,7 @@
 			// 
 			this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Name = "forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem";
 			this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(220, 22);
-			this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Text = "Force GDI+ Presentation";
+			this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Text = "Use GDI+ Display Method";
 			this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem_Click);
 			// 
 			// runInBackgroundToolStripMenuItem
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.MenuItems.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.MenuItems.cs
index 0aac452912..1e31cdd909 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.MenuItems.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.MenuItems.cs
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 
 		private void forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
 		{
-			Global.Config.ForceGDI ^= true;
+			Global.Config.DisplayGDI ^= true;
 			SyncPresentationMode();
 		}
 
@@ -1099,7 +1099,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			saveWindowPositionToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.SaveWindowPosition;
 			startPausedToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.StartPaused;
 			enableRewindToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.RewindEnabled;
-			forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.ForceGDI;
+			forceGDIPPresentationToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.DisplayGDI;
 			acceptBackgroundInputToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.AcceptBackgroundInput;
 			singleInstanceModeToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.SingleInstanceMode;
 			enableContextMenuToolStripMenuItem.Checked = Global.Config.ShowContextMenu;
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
index 24c9b19373..7b76a8939e 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/MainForm.cs
@@ -237,11 +237,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 
 		void SyncPresentationMode()
 		{
-			bool gdi = Global.Config.ForceGDI;
-			if (Global.Direct3D == null)
-			{
-				gdi = Global.Config.ForceGDI = true;
-			}
+			bool gdi = Global.Config.DisplayGDI;
+
+			if(Global.Direct3D == null)
+				gdi = true;
 
 			if (renderTarget != null)
 			{
@@ -268,7 +267,19 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				Global.RenderPanel = new Direct3DRenderPanel(Global.Direct3D, renderTarget);
+				try
+				{
+					var d3dPanel = new Direct3DRenderPanel(Global.Direct3D, renderTarget);
+					d3dPanel.CreateDevice();
+					Global.RenderPanel = d3dPanel;
+				}
+				catch
+				{
+					Program.DisplayDirect3DError();
+					Global.Direct3D.Dispose();
+					Global.Direct3D = null;
+					SyncPresentationMode();
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -1547,6 +1558,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 					string fps_string = runloop_last_fps + " fps";
 					if (ff) fps_string += " >>";
 					Global.RenderPanel.FPS = fps_string;
+					Console.WriteLine(fps_string);
 				}
 
 				if (!suppressCaptureRewind && Global.Config.RewindEnabled) CaptureRewindState();
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/Program.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/Program.cs
index b74c26399f..b2a2446c3d 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/Program.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/Program.cs
@@ -26,10 +26,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			try { Global.Direct3D = new Direct3D(); }
 			catch
 			{
-				//can fallback to GDI rendering
-				if (Global.Config.ForceGDI == true)
-					MessageBox.Show("Failure to initialize Directx, reverting to GDI rendering.", "Initialization Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error); 
-				Global.Config.ForceGDI = true;
+				//fallback to GDI rendering
+				if (!Global.Config.DisplayGDI)
+					DisplayDirect3DError();
 			}
 
 			try
@@ -87,5 +86,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 				mf.ProgramRunLoop();
 			}
 		}
+
+		public static void DisplayDirect3DError()
+		{
+			MessageBox.Show("Failure to initialize Direct3D, reverting to GDI+ display method. Change the option in Config > GUI or install DirectX web update.", "Initialization Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
+		}
 	}
 }