diff --git a/src/mpr121/mpr121.cxx b/src/mpr121/mpr121.cxx
index 3462f4cf..8e7f7039 100644
--- a/src/mpr121/mpr121.cxx
+++ b/src/mpr121/mpr121.cxx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 #include "mpr121.h"
 
@@ -34,11 +35,14 @@ using namespace std;
 MPR121::MPR121(int bus, uint8_t address) : m_i2c(bus)
 {
   m_addr = address;
-
   mraa::Result ret = m_i2c.address(m_addr);
 
-  if (ret != mraa::SUCCESS)
-    cerr << "MPR121: Could not initialize i2c bus. " << endl;
+  if (ret != mraa::SUCCESS) 
+    {
+      throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                  ": mraa_i2c_address() failed");
+      return;
+    }
 
   m_buttonStates = 0;
   m_overCurrentFault = false;
@@ -90,7 +94,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   uint8_t eleConf = 0x00;
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x5e, &eleConf, 1)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x5e) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -100,7 +105,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   uint8_t sectA[] = { 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00 };
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x2b, sectA, 4)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x2b) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -110,7 +116,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   uint8_t sectB[] = { 0x01, 0x01, 0xff, 0x02 };
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x2f, sectB, 4)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x2f) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -132,7 +139,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
                       0x0f, 0x0a };
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x41, sectC, 24)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x41) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -142,7 +150,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   uint8_t filterConf = 0x04;
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x5d, &filterConf, 1)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x5d) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -152,13 +161,15 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   uint8_t sectF0 = 0x0b;
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x7b, &sectF0, 1)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x7b) failed");
       return false;
     }
   uint8_t sectF1[] = { 0x9c, 0x65, 0x8c };
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x7d, sectF1, 3)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x7d) failed");
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -169,7 +180,8 @@ bool MPR121::configAN3944()
   eleConf = 0x8c;
   if ((rv = writeBytes(0x5e, &eleConf, 1)) != mraa::SUCCESS)
     {
-      cerr << __FUNCTION__ << ": " << __LINE__<< ": I2C write failed." << endl;
+      throw std::runtime_error(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                               ": writeBytes(0x5e) failed");
       return false;
     }