diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/gui.go b/cmd/syncthing/gui.go
index 3a69bf0dc..0c9f1fe3a 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/gui.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/gui.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"runtime"
 	"sync"
@@ -34,7 +35,12 @@ const (
 	unchangedPassword = "--password-unchanged--"
 )
 
-func startGUI(cfg GUIConfiguration, m *Model) {
+func startGUI(cfg GUIConfiguration, m *Model) error {
+	l, err := net.Listen("tcp", cfg.Address)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	router := martini.NewRouter()
 	router.Get("/", getRoot)
 	router.Get("/rest/version", restGetVersion)
@@ -51,21 +57,19 @@ func startGUI(cfg GUIConfiguration, m *Model) {
 	router.Post("/rest/error", restPostError)
 	router.Post("/rest/error/clear", restClearErrors)
 
-	go func() {
-		mr := martini.New()
-		if len(cfg.User) > 0 && len(cfg.Password) > 0 {
-			mr.Use(basic(cfg.User, cfg.Password))
-		}
-		mr.Use(static)
-		mr.Use(martini.Recovery())
-		mr.Use(restMiddleware)
-		mr.Action(router.Handle)
-		mr.Map(m)
-		err := http.ListenAndServe(cfg.Address, mr)
-		if err != nil {
-			warnln("GUI not possible:", err)
-		}
-	}()
+	mr := martini.New()
+	if len(cfg.User) > 0 && len(cfg.Password) > 0 {
+		mr.Use(basic(cfg.User, cfg.Password))
+	}
+	mr.Use(static)
+	mr.Use(martini.Recovery())
+	mr.Use(restMiddleware)
+	mr.Action(router.Handle)
+	mr.Map(m)
+
+	go http.Serve(l, mr)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func getRoot(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/main.go b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
index 698e68b5f..190f94d47 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/main.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ func main() {
 	if cfg.GUI.Enabled && cfg.GUI.Address != "" {
 		addr, err := net.ResolveTCPAddr("tcp", cfg.GUI.Address)
 		if err != nil {
-			warnf("Cannot start GUI on %q: %v", cfg.GUI.Address, err)
+			fatalf("Cannot start GUI on %q: %v", cfg.GUI.Address, err)
 		} else {
 			var hostOpen, hostShow string
 			switch {
@@ -249,7 +249,10 @@ func main() {
 			}
 
 			infof("Starting web GUI on http://%s:%d/", hostShow, addr.Port)
-			startGUI(cfg.GUI, m)
+			err := startGUI(cfg.GUI, m)
+			if err != nil {
+				fatalln("Cannot start GUI:", err)
+			}
 			if cfg.Options.StartBrowser && len(os.Getenv("STRESTART")) == 0 {
 				openURL(fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d", hostOpen, addr.Port))
 			}