diff --git a/src/fatal.hpp b/src/fatal.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8bde8317
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/fatal.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+  ISC License
+
+  Copyright (c) 2026, Antonio SJ Musumeci <trapexit@spawn.link>
+
+  Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+  purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+  copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+
+  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+  WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+  MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+  ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+  WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
+  ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
+  OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "syslog.hpp"
+
+#include "fmt/core.h"
+
+#include <cstdlib>
+
+namespace fatal
+{
+  template<typename... Args>
+  [[noreturn]]
+  void
+  abort(fmt::format_string<Args...> format_,
+        Args&&... args_)
+  {
+    auto msg = fmt::format(format_,std::forward<Args>(args_)...);
+    fmt::println(stderr,"mergerfs: FATAL - {}",msg);
+    SysLog::crit("{}",msg);
+    std::abort();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/procfs.cpp b/src/procfs.cpp
index 70f3427a..f754aa0c 100644
--- a/src/procfs.cpp
+++ b/src/procfs.cpp
@@ -22,47 +22,56 @@
 
 #include "procfs.hpp"
 
-#include "errno.hpp"
+#include "fatal.hpp"
 #include "fs_close.hpp"
 #include "fs_open.hpp"
 #include "fs_openat.hpp"
 #include "fs_read.hpp"
 
 #include "fmt/core.h"
+#include "scope_guard.hpp"
 
 #include <array>
-#include <cassert>
-
-#include <pthread.h>
+#include <cstring>
 
 static int g_PROCFS_DIR_FD = -1;
 namespace procfs { int PROC_SELF_FD_FD = -1; }
 static constexpr const char PROCFS_PATH[] = "/proc";
 
-int
+void
 procfs::init()
 {
-  int rv;
-
   if(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD >= 0)
-    return 0;
+    return;
 
-  rv = fs::open(PROCFS_PATH,O_PATH|O_DIRECTORY);
-  if(rv < 0)
-    return rv;
-
-  g_PROCFS_DIR_FD = rv;
+  g_PROCFS_DIR_FD = fs::open(PROCFS_PATH,O_PATH|O_DIRECTORY);
+  if(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD < 0)
+    fatal::abort("failed to open {}: {}",PROCFS_PATH,strerror(-g_PROCFS_DIR_FD));
 
 #if defined(__linux__)
-// This is critical to the function of the app. abort if failed to
-// open.
   static constexpr const char PROC_SELF_FD[] = "/proc/self/fd";
 
   procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD = fs::open(PROC_SELF_FD,O_PATH|O_DIRECTORY);
-  assert(procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD >= 0);
+  if(procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD < 0)
+    fatal::abort("failed to open /proc/self/fd: {}",strerror(-procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD));
 #endif
+}
 
-  return 0;
+void
+procfs::shutdown()
+{
+  if(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD >= 0)
+    {
+      fs::close(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD);
+      g_PROCFS_DIR_FD = -1;
+    }
+#if defined(__linux__)
+  if(procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD >= 0)
+    {
+      fs::close(procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD);
+      procfs::PROC_SELF_FD_FD = -1;
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
 std::string
@@ -73,21 +82,26 @@ procfs::get_name(const int tid_)
   std::array<char,256> commpath;
   fmt::format_to_n_result<char*> frv;
 
+  if(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD < 0)
+    fatal::abort("procfs::get_name called before procfs::init()");
+
+  // Reserve 1 byte for the NUL terminator that format_to_n does not write.
   frv = fmt::format_to_n(commpath.data(),commpath.size()-1,"{}/comm",tid_);
   frv.out[0] = '\0';
 
   fd = fs::openat(g_PROCFS_DIR_FD,commpath.data(),O_RDONLY);
   if(fd < 0)
     return {};
+  DEFER { fs::close(fd); };
 
-  rv = fs::read(fd,commpath.data(),commpath.size());
-  if(rv < 0)
+  rv = fs::read(fd,commpath.data(),commpath.size()-1);
+  if(rv <= 0)
     return {};
 
-  // Overwrite the newline with NUL
-  commpath[rv-1] = '\0';
-
-  fs::close(fd);
+  if(commpath[rv-1] == '\n')
+    commpath[rv-1] = '\0';
+  else
+    commpath[rv] = '\0';
 
   return commpath.data();
 }
diff --git a/src/procfs.hpp b/src/procfs.hpp
index 9484cdda..22167718 100644
--- a/src/procfs.hpp
+++ b/src/procfs.hpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ namespace procfs
 {
   extern int PROC_SELF_FD_FD;
 
-  int init();
+  void init();
+  void shutdown();
   std::string get_name(const int tid);
 }