diff --git a/src/gargoyle.c b/src/gargoyle.c
index 78d8de2..8a92c38 100644
--- a/src/gargoyle.c
+++ b/src/gargoyle.c
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include <gargoyle/sleuth.h>
 #include <gargoyle/twine.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 uint8_t gargoyle_digest_argv(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, int *argc, char ***argv, struct gargoyle_err *err, gargoyle_flag_type flags) {
@@ -137,6 +136,8 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_envh(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, const cha
     flags |= GARGOYLE_FLG_ICASE;
   }
 
+  GARGOYLE_NEW_ERR(err);
+
   for(; **envh; *envh += 1) {
     const char *var = **envh;
 
@@ -149,10 +150,9 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_envh(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, const cha
 
     if(!opt) {
       if(flags & GARGOYLE_FLG_STRCT) {
-        err->code = GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT;
         char *eql = index(brand, '=');
-        snprintf(err->msg, GARGOYLE_MAX_ERR_SZ, "unknown option %.*s", (int) (eql - brand), brand);
-        return GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT;
+        GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT, "unknown variable '%.*s'", (int) (eql - brand), brand);
+        return err->code;
       } else {
         continue;
       }
@@ -167,7 +167,8 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_envh(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, const cha
     }
 
     if(res) {
-      return res;
+      GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, res, "invalid value '%s' for variable '%.*s'", brand + opt->brand_sz + 1, opt->brand_sz, opt->brand);
+      return err->code;
     }
   }