diff --git a/bin/hushlist b/bin/hushlist
index a5ef1b1..2a137a1 100755
--- a/bin/hushlist
+++ b/bin/hushlist
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ print "Hushlist running on $blockchain ${chain}net, $blocks blocks\n";
 print "Balances: transparent $tbalance HUSH, private $zbalance HUSH\n";
 
 # we only need one
-my $list      = Hush::List->new;
+my $options   = {};
+my $list      = Hush::List->new($rpc, $options);
 my $command   = shift || help();
 my $COMMANDS  = {
     "add"     =>   \&add,
diff --git a/lib/Hush/List.pm b/lib/Hush/List.pm
index 369a7c8..5fcb567 100644
--- a/lib/Hush/List.pm
+++ b/lib/Hush/List.pm
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ my $MAX_RECIPIENTS      = 54;
 my $HUSH_CONFIG_DIR     = $ENV{HUSH_CONFIG_DIR} || catdir($ENV{HOME},'.hush');
 my $HUSHLIST_CONFIG_DIR = $ENV{HUSH_CONFIG_DIR} || catdir($HUSH_CONFIG_DIR, 'list');
 our $VERSION            = 20171031;
+
 my $rpc                 = Hush::RPC->new;
 
 sub _sanity_checks {
@@ -75,9 +76,8 @@ sub create_default_conf {
 }
 
 sub new {
-    my ($options)       = @_;
+    my ($rpc,$options)  = @_;
     my $hush_list       = {};
-    my $rpc             = Hush::RPC->new($options);
 
     # we only need a single RPC connection
     $hush_list->{rpc}   = $rpc;
diff --git a/lib/Hush/RPC.pm b/lib/Hush/RPC.pm
index 27d570f..d63609c 100644
--- a/lib/Hush/RPC.pm
+++ b/lib/Hush/RPC.pm
@@ -20,7 +20,16 @@ sub new {
     if ($info) {
         return $rpc,
     } else {
-        barf "Unable to make RPC connection to $host:$port !";
+        my $coins = {
+            8822 => 'HUSH',
+           18822 => 'TUSH',
+            8232 => 'ZEC',
+           18232 => 'TAZ',
+        };
+        my $coin = $coins->{$port} || 'cryptocoin';
+        print "Unable to make RPC connection to $coin full node at $host:$port !\n";
+        print "Your $coin full node is not running, or not accessible at that port :(\n";
+        exit(1);
     }
 }