diff --git a/common.cpp b/common.cpp
index 8e8a2e1..00747ed 100644
--- a/common.cpp
+++ b/common.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,26 @@
 
 #include <iostream>
 
+const char *gl_error_to_str(EGLint error){
+    switch(error){
+        case EGL_SUCCESS: return "EGL_SUCCESS";
+        case EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED: return "EGL_NOT_INITIALIZED";
+        case EGL_BAD_ACCESS: return "EGL_BAD_ACCESS";
+        case EGL_BAD_ALLOC: return "EGL_BAD_ALLOC";
+        case EGL_BAD_ATTRIBUTE: return "EGL_BAD_ATTRIBUTE";
+        case EGL_BAD_CONTEXT: return "EGL_BAD_CONTEXT";
+        case EGL_BAD_CONFIG: return "EGL_BAD_CONFIG";
+        case EGL_BAD_CURRENT_SURFACE: return "EGL_BAD_CURRENT_SURFACE";
+        case EGL_BAD_DISPLAY: return "EGL_BAD_DISPLAY";
+        case EGL_BAD_MATCH: return "EGL_BAD_MATCH";
+        case EGL_BAD_PARAMETER: return "EGL_BAD_PARAMETER";
+        case EGL_BAD_NATIVE_PIXMAP: return "EGL_BAD_NATIVE_PIXMAP";
+        case EGL_BAD_NATIVE_WINDOW: return "EGL_BAD_NATIVE_WINDOW";
+        case EGL_CONTEXT_LOST: return "EGL_CONTEXT_LOST";
+        default: return "BAD ERROR";
+    }
+}
+
 bool init_gl(
     const int width,
     const int height,
@@ -48,7 +68,7 @@ bool init_gl(
   EGLint minor;
 
   if(eglInitialize(display, &major, &minor) == EGL_FALSE) {
-    std::cerr << "eglInitialize failed." << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "eglInitialize failed with " << gl_error_to_str(eglGetError()) << std::endl;
     return false;
   }