diff --git a/src/clients/compositor/mod.rs b/src/clients/compositor/mod.rs
index ce8d749e..03719139 100644
--- a/src/clients/compositor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/clients/compositor/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::{await_sync, register_client};
+use crate::{await_sync, register_fallible_client};
 use cfg_if::cfg_if;
 use color_eyre::{Help, Report, Result};
 use std::fmt::{Debug, Display, Formatter};
@@ -141,4 +141,4 @@ pub trait WorkspaceClient: Debug + Send + Sync {
     fn subscribe_workspace_change(&self) -> broadcast::Receiver<WorkspaceUpdate>;
 }
 
-register_client!(dyn WorkspaceClient, workspaces);
+register_fallible_client!(dyn WorkspaceClient, workspaces);
diff --git a/src/clients/mod.rs b/src/clients/mod.rs
index a3899b2b..f289c2c5 100644
--- a/src/clients/mod.rs
+++ b/src/clients/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-use crate::Ironbar;
+use crate::{await_sync, Ironbar};
+use color_eyre::Result;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "clipboard")]
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ pub struct Clients {
     volume: Option<Arc<volume::Client>>,
 }
 
+pub type ClientResult<T> = Result<Arc<T>>;
+
 impl Clients {
     pub(crate) fn new() -> Self {
         Self::default()
@@ -59,13 +62,17 @@ impl Clients {
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "workspaces")]
-    pub fn workspaces(&mut self) -> Arc<dyn compositor::WorkspaceClient> {
-        // TODO: Error handling here isn't great - should throw a user-friendly error & exit
-        self.workspaces
-            .get_or_insert_with(|| {
-                compositor::Compositor::create_workspace_client().expect("to be valid compositor")
-            })
-            .clone()
+    pub fn workspaces(&mut self) -> ClientResult<dyn compositor::WorkspaceClient> {
+        let client = match &self.workspaces {
+            Some(workspaces) => workspaces.clone(),
+            None => {
+                let client = compositor::Compositor::create_workspace_client()?;
+                self.workspaces.replace(client.clone());
+                client
+            }
+        };
+
+        Ok(client)
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "music")]
@@ -77,29 +84,35 @@ impl Clients {
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "notifications")]
-    pub fn notifications(&mut self) -> Arc<swaync::Client> {
-        self.notifications
-            .get_or_insert_with(|| {
-                Arc::new(crate::await_sync(async { swaync::Client::new().await }))
-            })
-            .clone()
+    pub fn notifications(&mut self) -> ClientResult<swaync::Client> {
+        let client = match &self.notifications {
+            Some(client) => client.clone(),
+            None => {
+                let client = await_sync(async { swaync::Client::new().await })?;
+                let client = Arc::new(client);
+                self.notifications.replace(client.clone());
+                client
+            }
+        };
+
+        Ok(client)
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "tray")]
-    pub fn tray(&mut self) -> Arc<tray::Client> {
-        // TODO: Error handling here isn't great - should throw a user-friendly error
-        self.tray
-            .get_or_insert_with(|| {
-                Arc::new(crate::await_sync(async {
-                    let service_name =
-                        format!("{}-{}", env!("CARGO_CRATE_NAME"), Ironbar::unique_id());
-
-                    tray::Client::new(&service_name)
-                        .await
-                        .expect("to be able to start client")
-                }))
-            })
-            .clone()
+    pub fn tray(&mut self) -> ClientResult<tray::Client> {
+        let client = match &self.tray {
+            Some(client) => client.clone(),
+            None => {
+                let service_name = format!("{}-{}", env!("CARGO_CRATE_NAME"), Ironbar::unique_id());
+
+                let client = await_sync(async { tray::Client::new(&service_name).await })?;
+                let client = Arc::new(client);
+                self.tray.replace(client.clone());
+                client
+            }
+        };
+
+        Ok(client)
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "upower")]
@@ -126,6 +139,14 @@ pub trait ProvidesClient<T: ?Sized> {
     fn provide(&self) -> Arc<T>;
 }
 
+/// Types implementing this trait
+/// indicate that they provide a singleton client instance of type `T`,
+/// which may fail to be created.
+pub trait ProvidesFallibleClient<T: ?Sized> {
+    /// Returns a singleton client instance of type `T`.
+    fn try_provide(&self) -> ClientResult<T>;
+}
+
 /// Generates a `ProvidesClient` impl block on `WidgetContext`
 /// for the provided `$ty` (first argument) client type.
 ///
@@ -148,3 +169,26 @@ macro_rules! register_client {
         }
     };
 }
+
+/// Generates a `ProvidesClient` impl block on `WidgetContext`
+/// for the provided `$ty` (first argument) client type.
+///
+/// The implementation calls `$method` (second argument)
+/// on the `Clients` struct to obtain the client instance.
+///
+/// # Example
+/// `register_client!(Client, clipboard);`
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! register_fallible_client {
+    ($ty:ty, $method:ident) => {
+        impl<TSend, TReceive> $crate::clients::ProvidesFallibleClient<$ty>
+            for $crate::modules::WidgetContext<TSend, TReceive>
+        where
+            TSend: Clone,
+        {
+            fn try_provide(&self) -> color_eyre::Result<std::sync::Arc<$ty>> {
+                self.ironbar.clients.borrow_mut().$method()
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
diff --git a/src/clients/swaync/mod.rs b/src/clients/swaync/mod.rs
index c7d226ba..173cf735 100644
--- a/src/clients/swaync/mod.rs
+++ b/src/clients/swaync/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 mod dbus;
 
-use crate::{register_client, send, spawn};
+use crate::{register_fallible_client, send, spawn};
 use color_eyre::{Report, Result};
 use dbus::SwayNcProxy;
 use serde::Deserialize;
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ type GetSubscribeData = (bool, bool, u32, bool);
 impl From<GetSubscribeData> for Event {
     fn from((dnd, cc_open, count, inhibited): (bool, bool, u32, bool)) -> Self {
         Self {
+            count,
             dnd,
             cc_open,
-            count,
             inhibited,
         }
     }
@@ -40,15 +40,13 @@ pub struct Client {
 }
 
 impl Client {
-    pub async fn new() -> Self {
-        let dbus = Box::pin(zbus::Connection::session())
-            .await
-            .expect("failed to create connection to system bus");
+    pub async fn new() -> Result<Self> {
+        let dbus = Box::pin(zbus::Connection::session()).await?;
 
-        let proxy = SwayNcProxy::new(&dbus).await.unwrap();
+        let proxy = SwayNcProxy::new(&dbus).await?;
         let (tx, rx) = broadcast::channel(8);
 
-        let mut stream = proxy.receive_subscribe_v2().await.unwrap();
+        let mut stream = proxy.receive_subscribe_v2().await?;
 
         {
             let tx = tx.clone();
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ impl Client {
             });
         }
 
-        Self { proxy, tx, _rx: rx }
+        Ok(Self { proxy, tx, _rx: rx })
     }
 
     pub fn subscribe(&self) -> broadcast::Receiver<Event> {
@@ -85,4 +83,4 @@ impl Client {
     }
 }
 
-register_client!(Client, notifications);
+register_fallible_client!(Client, notifications);
diff --git a/src/clients/tray.rs b/src/clients/tray.rs
index 3b84815e..9315da0a 100644
--- a/src/clients/tray.rs
+++ b/src/clients/tray.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::register_client;
+use crate::register_fallible_client;
 pub use system_tray::client::Client;
 
-register_client!(Client, tray);
+register_fallible_client!(Client, tray);
diff --git a/src/ipc/server.rs b/src/ipc/server.rs
index 776efe1d..aa74a610 100644
--- a/src/ipc/server.rs
+++ b/src/ipc/server.rs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ impl Ipc {
                 ironbar.reload_config();
 
                 for output in outputs {
-                    match crate::load_output_bars(ironbar, application, output) {
+                    match crate::load_output_bars(ironbar, application, &output) {
                         Ok(mut bars) => ironbar.bars.borrow_mut().append(&mut bars),
                         Err(err) => error!("{err:?}"),
                     }
diff --git a/src/modules/clipboard.rs b/src/modules/clipboard.rs
index 6d53e401..ae34a032 100644
--- a/src/modules/clipboard.rs
+++ b/src/modules/clipboard.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::{Button, EventBox, Image, Label, Orientation, RadioButton, Widget};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
-use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::sync::{broadcast, mpsc};
 use tracing::{debug, error};
 
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ impl Module<Button> for ClipboardModule {
         let max_items = self.max_items;
 
         let tx = context.tx.clone();
-        let client: Arc<clipboard::Client> = context.client();
+        let client = context.client::<clipboard::Client>();
 
         // listen to clipboard events
         spawn(async move {
diff --git a/src/modules/mod.rs b/src/modules/mod.rs
index f768f61e..0e7474fb 100644
--- a/src/modules/mod.rs
+++ b/src/modules/mod.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use gtk::{Application, Button, EventBox, IconTheme, Orientation, Revealer, Widge
 use tokio::sync::{broadcast, mpsc};
 use tracing::debug;
 
-use crate::clients::ProvidesClient;
+use crate::clients::{ClientResult, ProvidesClient, ProvidesFallibleClient};
 use crate::config::{BarPosition, CommonConfig, TransitionType};
 use crate::gtk_helpers::{IronbarGtkExt, WidgetGeometry};
 use crate::popup::Popup;
@@ -115,6 +115,13 @@ where
         ProvidesClient::provide(self)
     }
 
+    pub fn try_client<T: ?Sized>(&self) -> ClientResult<T>
+    where
+        WidgetContext<TSend, TReceive>: ProvidesFallibleClient<T>,
+    {
+        ProvidesFallibleClient::try_provide(self)
+    }
+
     /// Subscribes to events sent from this widget.
     pub fn subscribe(&self) -> broadcast::Receiver<TSend> {
         self.update_tx.subscribe()
diff --git a/src/modules/notifications.rs b/src/modules/notifications.rs
index ecd0c9f2..1a60ca16 100644
--- a/src/modules/notifications.rs
+++ b/src/modules/notifications.rs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ impl Module<Overlay> for NotificationsModule {
     where
         <Self as Module<Overlay>>::SendMessage: Clone,
     {
-        let client = context.client::<swaync::Client>();
+        let client = context.try_client::<swaync::Client>()?;
 
         {
             let client = client.clone();
diff --git a/src/modules/tray/mod.rs b/src/modules/tray/mod.rs
index 766f4074..3c43ec0a 100644
--- a/src/modules/tray/mod.rs
+++ b/src/modules/tray/mod.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ impl Module<MenuBar> for TrayModule {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let tx = context.tx.clone();
 
-        let client = context.client::<tray::Client>();
+        let client = context.try_client::<tray::Client>()?;
         let mut tray_rx = client.subscribe();
 
         let initial_items = lock!(client.items()).clone();
diff --git a/src/modules/workspaces.rs b/src/modules/workspaces.rs
index bd978575..4eb0755a 100644
--- a/src/modules/workspaces.rs
+++ b/src/modules/workspaces.rs
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Box> for WorkspacesModule {
         mut rx: Receiver<Self::ReceiveMessage>,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let tx = context.tx.clone();
-        let client = context.ironbar.clients.borrow_mut().workspaces();
+        let client = context.ironbar.clients.borrow_mut().workspaces()?;
         // Subscribe & send events
         spawn(async move {
             let mut srx = client.subscribe_workspace_change();
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Box> for WorkspacesModule {
             }
         });
 
-        let client = context.client::<dyn WorkspaceClient>();
+        let client = context.try_client::<dyn WorkspaceClient>()?;
 
         // Change workspace focus
         spawn(async move {