diff --git a/src/lib/condition.c b/src/lib/condition.c
index 7427b431d..1bfa2ef96 100644
--- a/src/lib/condition.c
+++ b/src/lib/condition.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
  * @file Condition variables
  */
 
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE (CONDITION_DESTROY, "condition destroy failed");
+
 /**
  * Initialize a condition variable
  * @param self is a pointer to the condition variable to be initialized
@@ -53,9 +55,9 @@ lumiera_condition_destroy (LumieraCondition self)
   if (self)
     {
       if (pthread_mutex_destroy (&self->mutex))
-        LUMIERA_DIE;
+        LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_DESTROY);
       else if (pthread_cond_destroy (&self->cond))
-        LUMIERA_DIE;
+        LUMIERA_DIE (CONDITION_DESTROY);
     }
   return self;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/condition.h b/src/lib/condition.h
index b2fd76c63..066c6b267 100644
--- a/src/lib/condition.h
+++ b/src/lib/condition.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
  * @file Condition variables, header
  */
 
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE (CONDITION_DESTROY);
 
 /**
  * Condition variables.
@@ -59,10 +60,10 @@ lumiera_condition_signal (LumieraCondition self)
 {
   REQUIRE (self);
   if (pthread_mutex_lock (&self->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
   pthread_cond_signal (&self->cond);
   if (pthread_mutex_unlock (&self->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_UNLOCK);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -74,10 +75,10 @@ lumiera_condition_broadcast (LumieraCondition self)
 {
   REQUIRE (self);
   if (pthread_mutex_lock (&self->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
   pthread_cond_broadcast (&self->cond);
   if (pthread_mutex_unlock (&self->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_UNLOCK);
 }
 
 
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ lumiera_conditionacquirer_init (LumieraConditionacquirer self, LumieraCondition
   self->state = state;
   if (state == LUMIERA_LOCKED)
     if (pthread_mutex_lock (&cond->mutex))
-      LUMIERA_DIE;
+      LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
 
   return self;
 }
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ lumiera_conditionacquirer_lock (LumieraConditionacquirer self)
   REQUIRE (self->state == LUMIERA_UNLOCKED, "mutex already locked");
 
   if (pthread_mutex_lock (&self->cond->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
 
   self->state = LUMIERA_LOCKED;
 }
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ lumiera_conditionacquirer_unlock (LumieraConditionacquirer self)
   REQUIRE (self);
   REQUIRE (self->state == LUMIERA_LOCKED, "mutex was not locked");
   if (pthread_mutex_unlock (&self->cond->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_UNLOCK);
   self->state = LUMIERA_UNLOCKED;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/error.h b/src/lib/error.h
index 24c73f0a5..e71c0cdfa 100644
--- a/src/lib/error.h
+++ b/src/lib/error.h
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ extern "C" {
  * Abort unconditionally with a 'Fatal Error!' message.
  * This macro is used whenever the program end up in a invalid state from which no runtime recovery is possible
  */
-#define LUMIERA_DIE do { NOBUG_ERROR(NOBUG_ON, "Fatal Error!"); abort(); } while(0)
+#define LUMIERA_DIE(err) \
+  do { NOBUG_ERROR(NOBUG_ON, "Fatal Error: %s ", strchr(LUMIERA_ERROR_##err, ':')); abort(); } while(0)
 
 /**
  * Forward declare an error constant.
@@ -58,7 +59,8 @@ extern const char* LUMIERA_ERROR_##err
 #define LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(err, msg) \
 const char* LUMIERA_ERROR_##err = "LUMIERA_ERROR_" #err ":" msg
 
-/** Helper macro to raise an error for the current thread.
+/**
+ * Helper macro to raise an error for the current thread.
  * This macro eases setting an error. It adds NoBug logging support to the low level error handling.
  * @param flag NoBug flag describing the subsystem where the error was raised
  * @param err name of the error without the 'LUMIERA_ERROR_' prefix (example: NO_MEMORY)
diff --git a/src/lib/locking.h b/src/lib/locking.h
index 01ad8bb29..f62dd6c29 100644
--- a/src/lib/locking.h
+++ b/src/lib/locking.h
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@
 
 #include "lib/error.h"
 
+
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE (MUTEX_LOCK);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE (MUTEX_UNLOCK);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE (MUTEX_DESTROY);
+
 /**
  * @file Shared declarations for all locking primitives.
  */
diff --git a/src/lib/mutex.c b/src/lib/mutex.c
index a08d89e51..009502e5a 100644
--- a/src/lib/mutex.c
+++ b/src/lib/mutex.c
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
  * @file Mutual exclusion locking.
  */
 
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE (MUTEX_LOCK, "Mutex locking failed");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE (MUTEX_UNLOCK, "Mutex unlocking failed");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE (MUTEX_DESTROY, "Mutex destroy failed");
+
 
 /**
  * Initialize a mutex variable
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ lumiera_mutex_destroy (LumieraMutex self)
   if (self)
     {
       if (pthread_mutex_destroy (&self->mutex))
-        LUMIERA_DIE;
+        LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_DESTROY);
     }
   return self;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/mutex.h b/src/lib/mutex.h
index ced7118e2..ecd99529d 100644
--- a/src/lib/mutex.h
+++ b/src/lib/mutex.h
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
  * @file Mutual exclusion locking, header.
  */
 
-
 /**
  * Mutex.
  *
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ lumiera_mutexacquirer_init_mutex (LumieraMutexacquirer self, LumieraMutex mutex,
   self->state = state;
   if (state == LUMIERA_LOCKED)
     if (pthread_mutex_lock (&mutex->mutex))
-      LUMIERA_DIE;
+      LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
 
   return self;
 }
@@ -124,7 +123,7 @@ lumiera_mutexacquirer_lock (LumieraMutexacquirer self)
   REQUIRE (self->state == LUMIERA_UNLOCKED, "mutex already locked");
 
   if (pthread_mutex_lock (&self->mutex->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
 
   self->state = LUMIERA_LOCKED;
 }
@@ -164,7 +163,7 @@ lumiera_mutexacquirer_try_mutex (LumieraMutexacquirer self, LumieraMutex mutex)
     case EBUSY:
       return LUMIERA_UNLOCKED;
     default:
-      LUMIERA_DIE;
+      LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_LOCK);
     }
 }
 
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ lumiera_mutexacquirer_unlock (LumieraMutexacquirer self)
   REQUIRE (self);
   REQUIRE (self->state == LUMIERA_LOCKED, "mutex was not locked");
   if (pthread_mutex_unlock (&self->mutex->mutex))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (MUTEX_UNLOCK);
   self->state = LUMIERA_UNLOCKED;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/plugin.c b/src/lib/plugin.c
index 87939533d..8345d9887 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugin.c
+++ b/src/lib/plugin.c
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <time.h>
+#include <limits.h>
 
 #include "plugin.h"
+#include "safeclib.h"
 
 /**
  * @file Plugin loader.
@@ -159,8 +161,8 @@ lumiera_plugin_lookup (struct lumiera_plugin* self, const char* path)
             {
               /* got it */
               TRACE (lumiera_plugin, "found %s", pathname);
-              self->pathname = strdup (pathname);
-              if (!self->pathname) LUMIERA_DIE;
+              self->pathname = lumiera_strndup (pathname, PATH_MAX);
+
               self->type = lumiera_plugin_extensions[i].type;
               return 0;
             }
@@ -195,21 +197,20 @@ lumiera_interface_open (const char* name, const char* interface, size_t min_revi
   plugin.name = name; /* for searching */
 
   found = tsearch (&plugin, &lumiera_plugin_registry, lumiera_plugin_name_cmp);
-  if (!found) LUMIERA_DIE;
+  if (!found)
+    LUMIERA_DIE (NO_MEMORY);
 
   if (*found == &plugin)
     {
       NOTICE (lumiera_plugin, "new plugin");
 
       /* now really create new item */
-      *found = malloc (sizeof (struct lumiera_plugin));
-      if (!*found) LUMIERA_DIE;
+      *found = lumiera_malloc (sizeof (struct lumiera_plugin));
 
       if (name) /* NULL is main app, no lookup needed */
         {
           /*lookup for $LUMIERA_PLUGIN_PATH*/
-          (*found)->name = strdup (name);
-          if (!(*found)->name) LUMIERA_DIE;
+          (*found)->name = lumiera_strndup (name, PATH_MAX);
 
           if (!!lumiera_plugin_lookup (*found, getenv("LUMIERA_PLUGIN_PATH"))
 #ifdef LUMIERA_PLUGIN_PATH
diff --git a/src/lib/references.c b/src/lib/references.c
index ad4f9562f..3e9d5f260 100644
--- a/src/lib/references.c
+++ b/src/lib/references.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
 */
 #include "lib/references.h"
+#include "lib/safeclib.h"
 
 /**
  * @file Strong and Weak references
@@ -43,8 +44,7 @@
 LumieraReference
 lumiera_reference_strong_init_once (LumieraReference self, void* obj, void (*dtor)(void*))
 {
-  LumieraReftarget target = malloc (sizeof(lumiera_reftarget));
-  if (!target) LUMIERA_DIE;
+  LumieraReftarget target = lumiera_malloc (sizeof(lumiera_reftarget));
 
   target->object = obj;
   target->dtor = dtor;
diff --git a/src/lib/rwlock.c b/src/lib/rwlock.c
index c7ee3a37d..0862aa808 100644
--- a/src/lib/rwlock.c
+++ b/src/lib/rwlock.c
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 
 LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_AGAIN, "maximum number of readlocks exceed");
 LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_DEADLOCK, "deadlock detected");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_DESTROY, "destroy rwlock");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_UNLOCK, "unlock");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_RLOCK, "rlock");
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(RWLOCK_WLOCK, "wlock");
 
 /**
  * @file Read/write locks.
@@ -57,7 +61,7 @@ lumiera_rwlock_destroy (LumieraRWLock self)
   if (self)
     {
       if (pthread_rwlock_destroy (&self->rwlock))
-        LUMIERA_DIE;
+        LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_DESTROY);
     }
   return self;
 }
@@ -95,7 +99,7 @@ lumiera_rwlockacquirer_init (LumieraRWLockacquirer self, LumieraRWLock rwlock, e
           lumiera_error_set (LUMIERA_ERROR_RWLOCK_DEADLOCK);
           return NULL;
         default:
-          LUMIERA_DIE;
+          LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_RLOCK);
         }
     case LUMIERA_WRLOCKED:
       switch (pthread_rwlock_wrlock (&rwlock->rwlock))
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ lumiera_rwlockacquirer_init (LumieraRWLockacquirer self, LumieraRWLock rwlock, e
           lumiera_error_set (LUMIERA_ERROR_RWLOCK_DEADLOCK);
           return NULL;
         default:
-          LUMIERA_DIE;
+          LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_WLOCK);
         }
     default:
       break;
@@ -138,7 +142,7 @@ lumiera_rwlockacquirer_rdlock (LumieraRWLockacquirer self)
       lumiera_error_set (LUMIERA_ERROR_RWLOCK_DEADLOCK);
       return NULL;
     default:
-      LUMIERA_DIE;
+      LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_RLOCK);
     }
 
   self->state = LUMIERA_RDLOCKED;
@@ -166,7 +170,7 @@ lumiera_rwlockacquirer_wrlock (LumieraRWLockacquirer self)
       lumiera_error_set (LUMIERA_ERROR_RWLOCK_DEADLOCK);
       return NULL;
     default:
-      LUMIERA_DIE;
+      LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_WLOCK);
     }
 
   self->state = LUMIERA_WRLOCKED;
diff --git a/src/lib/rwlock.h b/src/lib/rwlock.h
index 922a05e7b..5e121fbcc 100644
--- a/src/lib/rwlock.h
+++ b/src/lib/rwlock.h
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@
 
 LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_AGAIN);
 LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_DEADLOCK);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_DESTROY);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_UNLOCK);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_RLOCK);
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DECLARE(RWLOCK_WLOCK);
 
 /**
  * @file Read/write locks, header.
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ lumiera_rwlockacquirer_unlock (LumieraRWLockacquirer self)
   REQUIRE (self);
   REQUIRE (self->state != LUMIERA_UNLOCKED, "rwlock was not locked");
   if (pthread_rwlock_unlock (&self->rwlock->rwlock))
-    LUMIERA_DIE;
+    LUMIERA_DIE (RWLOCK_UNLOCK);
   self->state = LUMIERA_UNLOCKED;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/plugin/plugin_main.c b/tests/plugin/plugin_main.c
index 2efe32471..4b95ea60c 100644
--- a/tests/plugin/plugin_main.c
+++ b/tests/plugin/plugin_main.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "lib/plugin.h"
 #include "hello_interface.h"
 
+LUMIERA_ERROR_DEFINE(FAILURE, "test failure");
 
 int
 main(int argc, char** argv)
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
       LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)* hello_de =
         (LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)*) lumiera_interface_open ("example_plugin", "german_1", sizeof(LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)));
 
-      if (!hello_de) LUMIERA_DIE;
+      if (!hello_de) LUMIERA_DIE (FAILURE);
 
       hello_de->hello();
       hello_de->goodbye(argv[1]);
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
       LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)* hello_en =
         (LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)*) lumiera_interface_open ("example_plugin", "english_1", sizeof(LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)));
 
-      if (!hello_en) LUMIERA_DIE;
+      if (!hello_en) LUMIERA_DIE (FAILURE);
 
       hello_en->hello();
       hello_en->goodbye(argv[1]);
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
       LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)* hello_de =
         (LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)*) lumiera_interface_open ("example_plugin_cpp", "german_1", sizeof(LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)));
 
-      if (!hello_de) LUMIERA_DIE;
+      if (!hello_de) LUMIERA_DIE (FAILURE);
 
       hello_de->hello();
       hello_de->goodbye(argv[1]);
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
       LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)* hello_en =
         (LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)*) lumiera_interface_open ("example_plugin_cpp", "english_1", sizeof(LUMIERA_INTERFACE_TYPE(hello, 1)));
 
-      if (!hello_en) LUMIERA_DIE;
+      if (!hello_en) LUMIERA_DIE (FAILURE);
 
       hello_en->hello();
       hello_en->goodbye(argv[1]);