diff --git a/appvm/Makefile b/appvm/Makefile
index d6bfb6a..3f81fb9 100644
--- a/appvm/Makefile
+++ b/appvm/Makefile
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ CFLAGS=-Wall -I../common
 all:	qubes_penctl qubes_add_pendrive_script qvm-open-in-dvm dvm_file_editor qfile-agent-dvm
 dvm_file_editor: dvm_file_editor.o ../common/ioall.o
 	$(CC) -o dvm_file_editor dvm_file_editor.o ../common/ioall.o
-qfile-agent-dvm: qfile-agent-dvm.o ../common/ioall.o
-	$(CC) -o qfile-agent-dvm qfile-agent-dvm.o ../common/ioall.o
+qfile-agent-dvm: qfile-agent-dvm.o ../common/ioall.o ../common/gui-fatal.o
+	$(CC) -o qfile-agent-dvm qfile-agent-dvm.o ../common/ioall.o ../common/gui-fatal.o
 qubes_penctl: qubes_penctl.o
 	$(CC) -o qubes_penctl qubes_penctl.o -lxenstore
 qubes_add_pendrive_script: qubes_add_pendrive_script.o
diff --git a/appvm/qfile-agent-dvm.c b/appvm/qfile-agent-dvm.c
index 194d67c..5db430c 100644
--- a/appvm/qfile-agent-dvm.c
+++ b/appvm/qfile-agent-dvm.c
@@ -9,32 +9,15 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <ioall.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <gui-fatal.h>
 #include "dvm2.h"
 
-//the below usage of "system" is smelly, but should be fine - input comes from the same vm
-void fatal(char *msg)
-{
-	char *errcmd;
-	asprintf(&errcmd, "DISPLAY=:0 kdialog --sorry 'qfile-agent-dvm: %s'", msg);
-	system(errcmd);
-	perror(msg);
-	exit(1);
-}
-
-void nonfatal(char *msg)
-{
-	char *errcmd;
-	asprintf(&errcmd, "DISPLAY=:0 kdialog --sorry 'qfile-agent-dvm: %s'", msg);
-	system(errcmd);
-	fprintf(stderr, "%s", msg);
-}
-
 void send_file(char *fname)
 {
 	char *base;
 	int fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
 	if (fd < 0)
-		fatal("open file_to_be_edited");
+		gui_fatal("open %s", fname);
 	base = rindex(fname, '/');
 	if (!base)
 		base = fname;
@@ -43,9 +26,9 @@ void send_file(char *fname)
 	if (strlen(base) >= DVM_FILENAME_SIZE)
 		base += strlen(base) - DVM_FILENAME_SIZE + 1;
 	if (!write_all(1, base, DVM_FILENAME_SIZE))
-		fatal("send filename");
+		gui_fatal("send filename to dispVM");
 	if (!copy_fd_all(1, fd))
-		fatal("send file");
+		gui_fatal("send file to dispVM");
 	close(1);
 }
 
@@ -53,9 +36,9 @@ int copy_and_return_nonemptiness(int tmpfd)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	if (!copy_fd_all(tmpfd, 0))
-		fatal("receiving file");
+		gui_fatal("receiving file from dispVM");
 	if (fstat(tmpfd, &st))
-		fatal("fstat");
+		gui_fatal("fstat");
 	close(tmpfd);
 
 	return st.st_size;
@@ -70,7 +53,7 @@ void recv_file_nowrite(char *fname)
 	asprintf(&tempfile, "/tmp/file_edited_in_dvm.XXXXXX");
 	tmpfd = mkstemp(tempfile);
 	if (tmpfd < 0)
-		fatal("unable to create any temporary file, aborting");
+		gui_fatal("unable to create any temporary file, aborting");
 	if (!copy_and_return_nonemptiness(tmpfd)) {
 		unlink(tempfile);
 		return;
@@ -79,7 +62,7 @@ void recv_file_nowrite(char *fname)
 		 "The file %s has been edited in Disposable VM and the modified content has been received, "
 		 "but this file is in nonwritable directory and thus cannot be modified safely. The edited file has been "
 		 "saved to %s", fname, tempfile);
-	nonfatal(errmsg);
+	gui_nonfatal(errmsg);
 }
 
 void actually_recv_file(char *fname, char *tempfile, int tmpfd)
@@ -89,7 +72,7 @@ void actually_recv_file(char *fname, char *tempfile, int tmpfd)
 		return;
 	}
 	if (rename(tempfile, fname))
-		fatal("rename");
+		gui_fatal("rename");
 }
 
 void recv_file(char *fname)
@@ -121,13 +104,13 @@ void process_spoolentry(char *entry_name)
 	entry_fd = open(abs_spool_entry_name, O_RDONLY);
 	unlink(abs_spool_entry_name);
 	if (entry_fd < 0 || fstat(entry_fd, &st))
-		fatal("bad dvm_entry");
+		gui_fatal("bad dvm_entry");
 	entry_size = st.st_size;
 	filename = calloc(1, entry_size + DVM_FILENAME_SIZE);
 	if (!filename)
-		fatal("malloc");
+		gui_fatal("malloc");
 	if (!read_all(entry_fd, filename, entry_size))
-		fatal("read dvm entry");
+		gui_fatal("read dvm entry %s", abs_spool_entry_name);
 	close(entry_fd);
 	talk_to_daemon(filename);
 }
@@ -137,7 +120,7 @@ void scan_spool(char *name)
 	struct dirent *ent;
 	DIR *dir = opendir(name);
 	if (!dir)
-		fatal("opendir");
+		gui_fatal("opendir %s", name);
 	while ((ent = readdir(dir))) {
 		char *fname = ent->d_name;
 		if (!strcmp(fname, ".") || !strcmp(fname, ".."))