diff --git a/include/swaybar/bar.h b/include/swaybar/bar.h
index 29e96159..20a51809 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/bar.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/bar.h
@@ -95,9 +95,7 @@ struct swaybar_workspace {
 	bool urgent;
 };
 
-void bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
-	const char *socket_path,
-	const char *bar_id);
+bool bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar, const char *socket_path, const char *bar_id);
 void bar_run(struct swaybar *bar);
 void bar_teardown(struct swaybar *bar);
 
diff --git a/include/swaybar/ipc.h b/include/swaybar/ipc.h
index a1696bcf..81e48a6b 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/ipc.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/ipc.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include "swaybar/bar.h"
 
-void ipc_initialize(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id);
+bool ipc_initialize(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id);
 bool handle_ipc_readable(struct swaybar *bar);
 void ipc_get_workspaces(struct swaybar *bar);
 void ipc_send_workspace_command(struct swaybar *bar, const char *ws);
diff --git a/swaybar/bar.c b/swaybar/bar.c
index ab307fd4..809416dd 100644
--- a/swaybar/bar.c
+++ b/swaybar/bar.c
@@ -478,14 +478,16 @@ static void render_all_frames(struct swaybar *bar) {
 	}
 }
 
-void bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
+bool bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
 		const char *socket_path, const char *bar_id) {
 	bar_init(bar);
 	init_event_loop();
 
 	bar->ipc_socketfd = ipc_open_socket(socket_path);
 	bar->ipc_event_socketfd = ipc_open_socket(socket_path);
-	ipc_initialize(bar, bar_id);
+	if (!ipc_initialize(bar, bar_id)) {
+		return false;
+	}
 	if (bar->config->status_command) {
 		bar->status = status_line_init(bar->config->status_command);
 	}
@@ -526,6 +528,7 @@ void bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar,
 
 	ipc_get_workspaces(bar);
 	render_all_frames(bar);
+	return true;
 }
 
 static void display_in(int fd, short mask, void *data) {
diff --git a/swaybar/ipc.c b/swaybar/ipc.c
index 0e60c10c..2b50528d 100644
--- a/swaybar/ipc.c
+++ b/swaybar/ipc.c
@@ -141,9 +141,16 @@ static void ipc_parse_colors(
 	}
 }
 
-static void ipc_parse_config(
+static bool ipc_parse_config(
 		struct swaybar_config *config, const char *payload) {
 	json_object *bar_config = json_tokener_parse(payload);
+	json_object *success;
+	if (json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "success", &success)
+			&& !json_object_get_boolean(success)) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "No bar with that ID. Use 'swaymsg -t get_bar_config to get the available bar configs.");
+		json_object_put(bar_config);
+		return false;
+	}
 	json_object *markup, *mode, *hidden_bar, *position, *status_command;
 	json_object *font, *bar_height, *wrap_scroll, *workspace_buttons, *strip_workspace_numbers;
 	json_object *binding_mode_indicator, *verbose, *colors, *sep_symbol, *outputs;
@@ -226,6 +233,7 @@ static void ipc_parse_config(
 	}
 
 	json_object_put(bar_config);
+	return true;
 }
 
 void ipc_get_workspaces(struct swaybar *bar) {
@@ -312,11 +320,14 @@ static void ipc_get_outputs(struct swaybar *bar) {
 	free(res);
 }
 
-void ipc_initialize(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id) {
+bool ipc_initialize(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id) {
 	uint32_t len = strlen(bar_id);
 	char *res = ipc_single_command(bar->ipc_socketfd,
 			IPC_GET_BAR_CONFIG, bar_id, &len);
-	ipc_parse_config(bar->config, res);
+	if (!ipc_parse_config(bar->config, res)) {
+		free(res);
+		return false;
+	}
 	free(res);
 	ipc_get_outputs(bar);
 
@@ -324,6 +335,7 @@ void ipc_initialize(struct swaybar *bar, const char *bar_id) {
 	len = strlen(subscribe);
 	free(ipc_single_command(bar->ipc_event_socketfd,
 			IPC_SUBSCRIBE, subscribe, &len));
+	return true;
 }
 
 bool handle_ipc_readable(struct swaybar *bar) {
diff --git a/swaybar/main.c b/swaybar/main.c
index 60e4b37c..d2c579db 100644
--- a/swaybar/main.c
+++ b/swaybar/main.c
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	signal(SIGTERM, sig_handler);
 
-	bar_setup(&swaybar, socket_path, bar_id);
+	if (!bar_setup(&swaybar, socket_path, bar_id)) {
+		free(socket_path);
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	free(socket_path);
 	free(bar_id);