diff --git a/docs/rv-manuals/rv-user-manual/rv-user-manual-chapter-fourteen.md b/docs/rv-manuals/rv-user-manual/rv-user-manual-chapter-fourteen.md
index d5e74c759..00fdb0d62 100644
--- a/docs/rv-manuals/rv-user-manual/rv-user-manual-chapter-fourteen.md
+++ b/docs/rv-manuals/rv-user-manual/rv-user-manual-chapter-fourteen.md
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ While high performance playback cannot be guaranteed, these minimum system requi
 | Component | Recommended Minimum |
 | --- | --- |
 | CPU | 64-bit, 6 cores, 12 logical processors |
+| GPU | OpenGL support |
 | Memory (RAM) | 16 GB |
 | Memory (GPU) | 8 GB |
 | Storage | RAID or nvme |
diff --git a/src/bin/apps/rv/main.cpp b/src/bin/apps/rv/main.cpp
index a24e8e820..f6bf5bbfe 100644
--- a/src/bin/apps/rv/main.cpp
+++ b/src/bin/apps/rv/main.cpp
@@ -787,6 +787,11 @@ int utf8Main(int argc, char* argv[])
     TwkGLF::FBOVideoDevice* dummyDev = new TwkGLF::FBOVideoDevice(0, 10, 10, false);
     IPCore::ImageRenderer::queryGL();
     const char* glVersion = (const char*)glGetString(GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION);
+    if (!glVersion)
+    {
+        cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION query failed" << endl;
+        exit(-1);
+    }
     IPCore::Shader::Function::useShadingLanguageVersion(glVersion);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/bin/imgtools/rvio/main.cpp b/src/bin/imgtools/rvio/main.cpp
index 2fd3441e5..b508e0201 100644
--- a/src/bin/imgtools/rvio/main.cpp
+++ b/src/bin/imgtools/rvio/main.cpp
@@ -985,6 +985,11 @@ int utf8Main(int argc, char* argv[])
 #endif
     IPCore::ImageRenderer::queryGL();
     const char* glVersion = (const char*)glGetString(GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION);
+    if (!glVersion)
+    {
+        cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: GL_SHADING_LANGUAGE_VERSION query failed" << endl;
+        exit(-1);
+    }
     IPCore::Shader::Function::useShadingLanguageVersion(glVersion);
 
 #ifndef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
diff --git a/src/lib/graphics/TwkGLFFBO/FBOVideoDevice.cpp b/src/lib/graphics/TwkGLFFBO/FBOVideoDevice.cpp
index 235359545..87c0a631c 100644
--- a/src/lib/graphics/TwkGLFFBO/FBOVideoDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/graphics/TwkGLFFBO/FBOVideoDevice.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <TwkGLF/GL.h>
 #include <TwkGLF/GLFBO.h>
 #include <TwkExc/Exception.h>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <iostream>
 
 #ifdef PLATFORM_LINUX
@@ -154,9 +155,22 @@ namespace TwkGLF
         int attrs[] = {GLX_BUFFER_SIZE, 32, GLX_RGBA, 0, GLX_STENCIL_SIZE, 1};
 
         m_imp->display = XOpenDisplay(0);
+        if (!m_imp->display)
+        {
+            cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: could not open X display" << endl;
+            exit(-1);
+        }
+
         m_imp->root = DefaultRootWindow(m_imp->display);
         m_imp->vis = glXChooseVisual(m_imp->display, DefaultScreen(m_imp->display), attrs);
 
+        if (!m_imp->vis)
+        {
+            cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: no matching GLX visual"
+                 << endl;
+            exit(-1);
+        }
+
         swa.colormap = XCreateColormap(m_imp->display, m_imp->root, m_imp->vis->visual, AllocNone);
 
         swa.event_mask = ExposureMask | KeyPressMask;
@@ -166,6 +180,12 @@ namespace TwkGLF
 
         m_imp->ctx = glXCreateContext(m_imp->display, m_imp->vis, 0, True);
 
+        if (!m_imp->ctx)
+        {
+            cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: could not create GLX context" << endl;
+            exit(-1);
+        }
+
         glXMakeCurrent(m_imp->display, m_imp->tiny, m_imp->ctx);
 #endif
 
@@ -241,10 +261,18 @@ namespace TwkGLF
         SetPixelFormat(m_imp->deviceContext, result, &m_imp->format);
 
         m_imp->glContext = wglCreateContext(m_imp->deviceContext);
-        assert(m_imp->glContext != NULL);
+        if (!m_imp->glContext)
+        {
+            cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: could not create WGL context" << endl;
+            exit(-1);
+        }
 
         wglMakeCurrent(m_imp->deviceContext, m_imp->glContext);
-        assert(wglGetCurrentContext() != NULL);
+        if (!wglGetCurrentContext())
+        {
+            cout << "ERROR: no GPU available: could not activate WGL context" << endl;
+            exit(-1);
+        }
         glewInit(NULL);
 #endif