diff --git a/MUSHclient.cpp b/MUSHclient.cpp
index 4f1ea219..3624685a 100644
--- a/MUSHclient.cpp
+++ b/MUSHclient.cpp
@@ -1857,6 +1857,10 @@ CTextDocument * CMUSHclientApp::FindNotepad (const CString strTitle)
   {
 CTextDocument * pTextDoc = NULL;
 
+  // during startup, may not exist
+  if (App.m_pNormalDocTemplate == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+
   for (POSITION docPos = App.m_pNormalDocTemplate->GetFirstDocPosition();
       docPos != NULL; )
     {
@@ -2095,11 +2099,14 @@ void CMUSHclientApp::db_show_error (const char * sql)
    return;
 
   CString  strTitle = "SQL errors in global preferences";
+  CString  strMessage = CFormat ("SQL error on statement:\r\n\"%s\"\r\n%s\r\n", sql, sqlite3_errmsg(db));
 
-  AppendToTheNotepad (strTitle, 
-                      CFormat ("SQL error on statement:\r\n\"%s\"\r\n%s\r\n", sql, sqlite3_errmsg(db)),             
+  if (!AppendToTheNotepad (strTitle, 
+                      strMessage,             
                       false,   // append
-                      eNotepadWorldLoadError);
+                      eNotepadWorldLoadError))
+    // emergency fallback
+    ::AfxMessageBox ( (LPCTSTR) strMessage, MB_ICONEXCLAMATION );
 
   // make sure they see it
   ActivateNotepad (strTitle);
diff --git a/MUSHclient.dsp b/MUSHclient.dsp
index 5cdd4028..fcb95d5e 100644
--- a/MUSHclient.dsp
+++ b/MUSHclient.dsp
@@ -1133,15 +1133,8 @@ SOURCE=.\pcre\pcre_info.c
 # Begin Source File
 
 SOURCE=.\pcre\pcre_maketables.c
-
-!IF  "$(CFG)" == "MUSHclient - Win32 Debug"
-
+# ADD CPP /D "HAVE_CONFIG_H"
 # SUBTRACT CPP /YX /Yc /Yu
-
-!ELSEIF  "$(CFG)" == "MUSHclient - Win32 Release"
-
-!ENDIF 
-
 # End Source File
 # Begin Source File
 
diff --git a/Utilities.cpp b/Utilities.cpp
index 598a94b6..be223c5b 100644
--- a/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/Utilities.cpp
@@ -255,6 +255,9 @@ bool CreateTextWindow (const char * sText,
                        const int iLines,
                        const int iNotepadType)
   {
+  // during startup, may not exist
+  if (App.m_pNormalDocTemplate == NULL)
+     return false;
 
   CTextDocument * pNewDoc = (CTextDocument *)
     App.m_pNormalDocTemplate->OpenDocumentFile(NULL);