diff --git a/bmon.c b/bmon.c
index 12dbccd..0a150d1 100644
--- a/bmon.c
+++ b/bmon.c
@@ -57,26 +57,30 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		default: /* '?' */
 			usage();
 			exit(1);
-		break; 
+		break;
 		}
-		
+
 	}
 
 	DIR *bdir = NULL;
-	if (!(bdir = opendir(bat_base_path)))
+	if (!(bdir = opendir(bat_base_path))) {
 		perror("error opening base directory");
-	
+		exit(1);
+	}
+
 	struct dirent *ent = NULL;
 	FILE **fp_list = NULL;
 	int fp_num = 0;
 	for (;;) {
 		errno = 0;
 		if (!(ent = readdir(bdir))) {
-			if (errno)
+			if (errno) {
 				perror("error reading base directory");
+				exit(1);
+			}
 			else break;
 		}
-		
+
 		if (!strstr(ent->d_name, "BAT1"))
 			continue;
 
@@ -84,9 +88,19 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		char path[sizeof(bat_base_path) + 256 + 64];
 		strcpy(path, bat_base_path);
 		strcat(path, ent->d_name);
-		if (wflag)
+		if (wflag) {
+			char *tmp = malloc(1024);
+			strcpy(tmp, path);
+			strcat(tmp, "/status");
+			FILE *tmf = fopen(tmp, "r");
+			fgets(tmp, 1024, tmf);
+			if (!strstr(tmp, "Dis")) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "currently not discharging, cannot read power draw\n");
+				dead = 1;
+			}
+			free(tmp);
 			strcat(path, "/energy_now");
-		else strcat(path, "/capacity");
+		} else strcat(path, "/capacity");
 
 		if ((fp = fopen(path, "r"))) {
 			FILE **tmp = NULL;
@@ -96,20 +110,22 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 			fp_list = tmp;
 			fp_list[fp_num++] = fp;
 		} else printf("err: %s\n", strerror(errno));
-				
+
 	}
 	closedir(bdir);
 	if (!fp_num) {
 		printf("no files were opened\n");
-		goto main_end;
+		dead = 1;
 	}
-	
-	FILE * ofile_ptr;
+
+	FILE * ofile_ptr = NULL;
 	if (fflag) {
 		if (!(ofile_ptr = fopen(ofile_path, "w"))) {
-			char * tmp = malloc(1024);
+			char *tmp = malloc(1024);
 			snprintf(tmp, 1024, "could not open %s", ofile_path);
 			perror(tmp);
+			free(tmp);
+			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -117,8 +133,12 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	char buf[64];
 	for (; !dead ; sleep(wait_time)) {
 		for (int i = 0; i < fp_num; i++) {
-			freopen(NULL, "r", fp_list[i]);
-			fgets(buf, 64, fp_list[i]);
+			if (!freopen(NULL, "r", fp_list[i])) {
+				perror("error reading the file");
+				dead = 1;
+			}
+			if (!fgets(buf, 64, fp_list[i]))
+				dead = 1;
 			buf[strcspn(buf, "\r\n")] = 0;
 			if (fflag)
 				fprintf(ofile_ptr, "%s\t", buf);
@@ -127,14 +147,16 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 		if (fflag) {
 			fprintf(ofile_ptr, "%lld\n", elapsed_time);
-			fflush(ofile_ptr);
-		} else { 
+			if (fflush(ofile_ptr)) {
+			  perror("error writing to file");
+			  dead = 1;
+			}
+		} else {
 			printf("%lld\n", elapsed_time);
 		}
 		elapsed_time += wait_time;
 	}
-	
-	main_end:
+
 	if (fflag)
 		fclose(ofile_ptr);
 	for (int i = 0; i < fp_num; i++)