diff --git a/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_sdl2_sw.cpp b/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_sdl2_sw.cpp
index c4ac3b9c3..1d4f3d43d 100644
--- a/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_sdl2_sw.cpp
+++ b/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_sdl2_sw.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ EmuWindow_SDL2_SW::EmuWindow_SDL2_SW(bool fullscreen, bool is_secondary)
     window_surface = SDL_GetWindowSurface(render_window);
     renderer = SDL_CreateSoftwareRenderer(window_surface);
 
+    if (renderer == nullptr) {
+        LOG_CRITICAL(Frontend, "Failed to create SDL2 software renderer: {}", SDL_GetError());
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
     if (fullscreen) {
         Fullscreen();
     }