diff --git a/src/debugger.c b/src/debugger.c
index 14c3b24..7c10785 100644
--- a/src/debugger.c
+++ b/src/debugger.c
@@ -46,9 +46,8 @@ static struct {
 
 void dbg_init(const char *symbols_path, boolean use_dap) {
 	dbg_impl = use_dap ? &dbg_dap_impl : &dbg_cui_impl;
-	dbg_impl->init();
+	dbg_impl->init(symbols_path);
 	dbg_state = DBG_STOPPED_ENTRY;
-	symbols = dsym_load(symbols_path);
 }
 
 void dbg_quit() {
diff --git a/src/debugger_cui.c b/src/debugger_cui.c
index 36da755..de66471 100644
--- a/src/debugger_cui.c
+++ b/src/debugger_cui.c
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ static void sigint_handler(int sig_num) {
 	dbg_state = DBG_STOPPED_INTERRUPT;
 }
 
-static void dbg_cui_init(void) {
+static void dbg_cui_init(const char *symbols_path) {
+	symbols = dsym_load(symbols_path);
 #ifdef HAVE_SIGACTION
 	sys_set_signalhandler(SIGINT, sigint_handler);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/debugger_dap.c b/src/debugger_dap.c
index 1f5a6b3..dfa3efd 100644
--- a/src/debugger_dap.c
+++ b/src/debugger_dap.c
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ static void emit_output_event(const char *output) {
 }
 
 static void cmd_initialize(cJSON *args, cJSON *resp) {
+	if (!symbols) {
+		cJSON_AddBoolToObject(resp, "success", false);
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(resp, "message", "xsystem35: Cannot load debug symbols");
+		return;
+	}
 	cJSON *body;
 	cJSON_AddBoolToObject(resp, "success", true);
 	cJSON_AddItemToObjectCS(resp, "body", body = cJSON_CreateObject());
@@ -555,7 +560,7 @@ static int read_command_thread(void *data) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void dbg_dap_init(void) {
+static void dbg_dap_init(const char *symbols_path) {
 	cmd_queue.mutex = SDL_CreateMutex();
 	cmd_queue.cond_nonempty = SDL_CreateCond();
 
@@ -566,6 +571,8 @@ static void dbg_dap_init(void) {
 
 	SDL_CreateThread(read_command_thread, "Debugger", NULL);
 
+	symbols = dsym_load(symbols_path);
+
 	while (!initialized) {
 		char *msg = cmdq_dequeue();
 		if (!msg)
diff --git a/src/debugger_private.h b/src/debugger_private.h
index 3afddc7..26c9231 100644
--- a/src/debugger_private.h
+++ b/src/debugger_private.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ typedef struct {
 } StackTrace;
 
 typedef struct {
-	void (*init)(void);
+	void (*init)(const char *symbols_path);
 	void (*quit)(void);
 	void (*repl)(void);
 	void (*onsleep)(void);