diff --git a/rpcs3/main.cpp b/rpcs3/main.cpp
index 6ac8d057d4..1df9a218e8 100644
--- a/rpcs3/main.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/main.cpp
@@ -493,13 +493,15 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	const bool has_no_gui = parser.isSet(arg_no_gui);
+
 	if (auto gui_app = qobject_cast<gui_application*>(app.data()))
 	{
 		gui_app->setAttribute(Qt::AA_UseHighDpiPixmaps);
 		gui_app->setAttribute(Qt::AA_DisableWindowContextHelpButton);
 		gui_app->setAttribute(Qt::AA_DontCheckOpenGLContextThreadAffinity);
 
-		gui_app->SetShowGui(!parser.isSet(arg_no_gui));
+		gui_app->SetShowGui(!has_no_gui);
 		gui_app->SetUseCliStyle(use_cli_style);
 		gui_app->Init();
 	}
@@ -508,6 +510,11 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		s_headless = true;
 		headless_app->Init();
 	}
+	else
+	{
+		// Should be unreachable
+		report_fatal_error("RPCS3 initialization failed!");
+	}
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	// Set 0.5 msec timer resolution for best performance
@@ -560,11 +567,20 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		}
 
 		// Ugly workaround
-		QTimer::singleShot(2, [config_override_path, path = sstr(QFileInfo(args.at(0)).absoluteFilePath()), argv = std::move(argv)]() mutable
+		QTimer::singleShot(2, [config_override_path, has_no_gui, path = sstr(QFileInfo(args.at(0)).absoluteFilePath()), argv = std::move(argv)]() mutable
 		{
 			Emu.argv = std::move(argv);
 			Emu.SetForceBoot(true);
-			Emu.BootGame(path, "", true);
+
+			if (const game_boot_result error = Emu.BootGame(path, "", true); error != game_boot_result::no_errors)
+			{
+				sys_log.error("Booting '%s' with cli argument failed: reason: %s", path, error);
+
+				if (s_headless || has_no_gui)
+				{
+					report_fatal_error(fmt::format("Booting '%s' failed!\n\nReason: %s", path, error));
+				}
+			}
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
index 69bb860fc6..a1d0a11a27 100644
--- a/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/rpcs3qt/main_window.cpp
@@ -1259,7 +1259,6 @@ void main_window::OnEmuStop()
 {
 	const QString title = GetCurrentTitle();
 	const QString play_tooltip = Emu.IsReady() ? tr("Play %0").arg(title) : tr("Resume %0").arg(title);
-	const QString restart_tooltip = tr("Restart %0").arg(title);
 
 	m_debugger_frame->UpdateUI();
 
@@ -1280,6 +1279,8 @@ void main_window::OnEmuStop()
 	}
 	else
 	{
+		const QString restart_tooltip = tr("Restart %0").arg(title);
+
 		ui->toolbar_start->setEnabled(true);
 		ui->toolbar_start->setIcon(m_icon_restart);
 		ui->toolbar_start->setText(tr("Restart"));
@@ -2339,7 +2340,12 @@ void main_window::CreateFirmwareCache()
 	}
 
 	Emu.SetForceBoot(true);
-	Emu.BootGame(g_cfg.vfs.get_dev_flash() + "sys/external/", "", true);
+
+	if (const game_boot_result error = Emu.BootGame(g_cfg.vfs.get_dev_flash() + "sys/external/", "", true);
+		error != game_boot_result::no_errors)
+	{
+		gui_log.error("Creating firmware cache failed: reason: %s", error);
+	}
 }
 
 void main_window::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *keyEvent)