diff --git a/src/lcd/i2clcd.cxx b/src/lcd/i2clcd.cxx
index d3a85a91..0690a6a4 100644
--- a/src/lcd/i2clcd.cxx
+++ b/src/lcd/i2clcd.cxx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "i2clcd.h"
+#include "i2clcd_private.h"
 
 using namespace upm;
 
@@ -79,25 +80,29 @@ I2CLcd::name()
 mraa_result_t
 I2CLcd::i2cReg(mraa_i2c_context ctx, int deviceAdress, int addr, uint8_t value)
 {
-    mraa_result_t error = MRAA_SUCCESS;
+    mraa_result_t ret;
 
     uint8_t data[2] = { addr, value };
-    error = mraa_i2c_address(ctx, deviceAdress);
-    error = mraa_i2c_write(ctx, data, 2);
+    ret = mraa_i2c_address(ctx, deviceAdress);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = mraa_i2c_write(ctx, data, 2);
 
-    return error;
+beach:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 mraa_result_t
 I2CLcd::i2Cmd(mraa_i2c_context ctx, uint8_t value)
 {
-    mraa_result_t error = MRAA_SUCCESS;
-
+    mraa_result_t ret;
     uint8_t data[2] = { LCD_CMD, value };
-    error = mraa_i2c_address(ctx, m_lcd_control_address);
-    error = mraa_i2c_write(ctx, data, 2);
 
-    return error;
+    ret = mraa_i2c_address(ctx, m_lcd_control_address);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = mraa_i2c_write(ctx, data, 2);
+
+beach:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 mraa_result_t
diff --git a/src/lcd/jhd1313m1.cxx b/src/lcd/jhd1313m1.cxx
index b26171d6..37fcc7d1 100644
--- a/src/lcd/jhd1313m1.cxx
+++ b/src/lcd/jhd1313m1.cxx
@@ -23,16 +23,16 @@
  */
 
 #include <iostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "i2clcd_private.h"
 #include "jhd1313m1.h"
 
 using namespace upm;
 
 Jhd1313m1::Jhd1313m1(int bus, int lcdAddress, int rgbAddress) : I2CLcd(bus, lcdAddress)
 {
-    mraa_result_t error = MRAA_SUCCESS;
-
     m_rgb_address = rgbAddress;
     m_i2c_lcd_rgb = mraa_i2c_init(m_bus);
 
@@ -42,22 +42,33 @@ Jhd1313m1::Jhd1313m1(int bus, int lcdAddress, int rgbAddress) : I2CLcd(bus, lcdA
     }
 
     usleep(50000);
-    i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_FUNCTIONSET | LCD_2LINE);
+    ret = i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_FUNCTIONSET | LCD_2LINE);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the LCD controller");
+
     usleep(4500);
+    ret = i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_DISPLAYCONTROL | LCD_DISPLAYON);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the LCD controller");
+
+    ret = clear();
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the LCD controller");
 
-    i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_DISPLAYCONTROL | LCD_DISPLAYON);
-    clear();
     usleep(4500);
+    ret = i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_ENTRYMODESET | LCD_ENTRYLEFT | LCD_ENTRYSHIFTDECREMENT);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the LCD controller");
 
-    i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, LCD_ENTRYMODESET | LCD_ENTRYLEFT | LCD_ENTRYSHIFTDECREMENT);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0, 0);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 1, 0);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x08, 0xAA);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
 
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0, 0);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 1, 0);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x08, 0xAA);
-
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x04, 255);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x03, 255);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x02, 255);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x04, 255);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x03, 255);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x02, 255);
+    UPM_CHECK_MRAA_SUCCESS(ret, "Unable to initialise the RGB controller");
 }
 
 Jhd1313m1::~Jhd1313m1()
@@ -67,15 +78,23 @@ Jhd1313m1::~Jhd1313m1()
 mraa_result_t
 Jhd1313m1::setColor(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b)
 {
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0, 0);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 1, 0);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x08, 0xAA);
+    mraa_result_t ret;
 
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x04, r);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x03, g);
-    i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x02, b);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0, 0);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 1, 0);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x08, 0xAA);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
 
-    return MRAA_SUCCESS;
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x04, r);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x03, g);
+    UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
+    ret = i2cReg(m_i2c_lcd_rgb, m_rgb_address, 0x02, b);
+
+beach:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 mraa_result_t
@@ -94,24 +113,30 @@ Jhd1313m1::scroll(bool direction)
 mraa_result_t
 Jhd1313m1::write(std::string msg)
 {
+    mraa_result_t ret = MRAA_SUCCESS;
+
     usleep(1000);
-    mraa_result_t error = MRAA_SUCCESS;
+
     for (std::string::size_type i = 0; i < msg.size(); ++i) {
-        error = i2cData(m_i2c_lcd_control, msg[i]);
+        ret = i2cData(m_i2c_lcd_control, msg[i]);
+        UPM_GOTO_ON_MRAA_FAIL(ret, beach);
     }
 
-    return error;
+beach:
+    return ret;
 }
 
 mraa_result_t
 Jhd1313m1::setCursor(int row, int column)
 {
-    mraa_result_t error = MRAA_SUCCESS;
+    mraa_result_t ret;
+
     int row_addr[] = { 0x80, 0xc0, 0x14, 0x54 };
     uint8_t offset = ((column % 16) + row_addr[row]);
-    error = i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, offset);
 
-    return error;
+    ret = i2Cmd(m_i2c_lcd_control, offset);
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 mraa_result_t