diff --git a/src/ctl.c b/src/ctl.c
index 0437461..e4ab57c 100644
--- a/src/ctl.c
+++ b/src/ctl.c
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@ ctl_connect(const char *dir, const char *file)
                 continue;
 
             if (file) {
-                file = NULL;
-                break;
+                closedir(dp);
+                return -3;
             }
 
             file = &d->d_name[0];
@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ ctl_connect(const char *dir, const char *file)
 
         if (!file) {
             closedir(dp);
-            errno = ENOENT;
-            return -1;
+            return -2;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/path.c b/src/path.c
index 462116a..1bb8779 100644
--- a/src/path.c
+++ b/src/path.c
@@ -99,9 +99,20 @@ gt_path(int argc, char **argv)
 
     int fd = ctl_connect(GT_RUNDIR, dev);
 
-    if (fd == -1) {
-        perror("path");
-        ctl_delete(fd);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        switch (fd) {
+        case -1:
+            perror("path");
+            break;
+        case -2:
+            gt_log("no device\n");
+            break;
+        case -3:
+            gt_log("please choose a device\n");
+            break;
+        default:
+            gt_log("couldn't connect\n");
+        }
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/set.c b/src/set.c
index 638ae41..e7ef5cd 100644
--- a/src/set.c
+++ b/src/set.c
@@ -149,8 +149,20 @@ gt_set(int argc, char **argv)
 
     int fd = ctl_connect(GT_RUNDIR, dev);
 
-    if (fd == -1) {
-        perror("set");
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        switch (fd) {
+        case -1:
+            perror("set");
+            break;
+        case -2:
+            gt_log("no device\n");
+            break;
+        case -3:
+            gt_log("please choose a device\n");
+            break;
+        default:
+            gt_log("couldn't connect\n");
+        }
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/show.c b/src/show.c
index d95ef6a..b6deeff 100644
--- a/src/show.c
+++ b/src/show.c
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ gt_show_dev(const char *dev)
 {
     int fd = ctl_connect(GT_RUNDIR, dev);
 
-    if (fd == -1) {
-        perror(dev);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        if (fd == -1)
+            perror("show");
         return -1;
     }