diff --git a/core/bootstrap/stage2.factor b/core/bootstrap/stage2.factor
index 59daa3ab53..46b1989357 100755
--- a/core/bootstrap/stage2.factor
+++ b/core/bootstrap/stage2.factor
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ IN: bootstrap.stage2
         [
             boot
             do-init-hooks
-            [ parse-command-line ] try
-            [ run-user-init ] try
-            [ "run" get run ] try
-            stdio get [ stream-flush ] when*
+            [
+                parse-command-line
+                run-user-init
+                "run" get run
+                stdio get [ stream-flush ] when*
+            ] [ print-error 1 exit ] recover
         ] set-boot-quot
 
         : count-words all-words swap subset length pprint ;