diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/debug.go b/src/yggdrasil/debug.go
index a86f2225..40cc5c4f 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/debug.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/debug.go
@@ -284,9 +284,10 @@ func (c *Core) DEBUG_init(bpub []byte,
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 func (c *Core) DEBUG_setupAndStartGlobalUDPInterface(addrport string) {
-	iface := udpInterface{}
-	iface.init(c, addrport)
-	c.udp = &iface
+	if err := c.udp.init(c, addrport); err != nil {
+		c.log.Println("Failed to start UDP interface:", err)
+		panic(err)
+	}
 }
 
 func (c *Core) DEBUG_getGlobalUDPAddr() *net.UDPAddr {
@@ -337,9 +338,10 @@ func (c *Core) DEBUG_addSOCKSConn(socksaddr, peeraddr string) {
 
 //*
 func (c *Core) DEBUG_setupAndStartGlobalTCPInterface(addrport string) {
-	iface := tcpInterface{}
-	iface.init(c, addrport)
-	c.tcp = &iface
+	if err := c.tcp.init(c, addrport); err != nil {
+		c.log.Println("Failed to start TCP interface:", err)
+		panic(err)
+	}
 }
 
 func (c *Core) DEBUG_getGlobalTCPAddr() *net.TCPAddr {
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/udp.go b/src/yggdrasil/udp.go
index 81f5d38b..02fb9d6d 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/udp.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/udp.go
@@ -65,18 +65,19 @@ type udpKeys struct {
 	sig sigPubKey
 }
 
-func (iface *udpInterface) init(core *Core, addr string) {
+func (iface *udpInterface) init(core *Core, addr string) (err error) {
 	iface.core = core
 	udpAddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr("udp", addr)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return
 	}
 	iface.sock, err = net.ListenUDP("udp", udpAddr)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return
 	}
 	iface.conns = make(map[connAddr]*connInfo)
 	go iface.reader()
+	return
 }
 
 func (iface *udpInterface) sendKeys(addr connAddr) {