diff --git a/device/alsa/alsa.go b/device/alsa/alsa.go
index 9a6801ac..90002589 100644
--- a/device/alsa/alsa.go
+++ b/device/alsa/alsa.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (d *ALSA) Setup(c config.Config) error {
 	d.mode = paused
 	go d.input()
 
-	if errs != nil {
+	if len(errs) != 0 {
 		return errs
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/device/device.go b/device/device.go
index 96eb9394..10ebf534 100644
--- a/device/device.go
+++ b/device/device.go
@@ -68,5 +68,8 @@ type AVDevice interface {
 type MultiError []error
 
 func (me MultiError) Error() string {
+	if len(me) == 0 {
+		panic("device: invalid use of MultiError")
+	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%v", []error(me))
 }
diff --git a/device/geovision/geovision.go b/device/geovision/geovision.go
index d12ae8bc..7774e55b 100644
--- a/device/geovision/geovision.go
+++ b/device/geovision/geovision.go
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ func (g *GeoVision) Set(c avconfig.Config) error {
 	const setupDelay = 5 * time.Second
 	time.Sleep(setupDelay)
 
-	return errs
+	if len(errs) != 0 {
+		return errs
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Start uses an RTSP client to communicate with the GeoVision RTSP server and
diff --git a/device/raspistill/raspistill.go b/device/raspistill/raspistill.go
index 5c74553a..b5025601 100644
--- a/device/raspistill/raspistill.go
+++ b/device/raspistill/raspistill.go
@@ -135,5 +135,8 @@ func (r *Raspistill) Set(c config.Config) error {
 	}
 
 	r.cfg = c
-	return errs
+	if len(errs) != 0 {
+		return errs
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/device/raspivid/raspivid.go b/device/raspivid/raspivid.go
index 08149755..85d58af3 100644
--- a/device/raspivid/raspivid.go
+++ b/device/raspivid/raspivid.go
@@ -239,7 +239,10 @@ func (r *Raspivid) Set(c config.Config) error {
 	}
 
 	r.cfg = c
-	return errs
+	if len(errs) != 0 {
+		return errs
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func goodAWBGains(g string) bool {
diff --git a/device/webcam/webcam.go b/device/webcam/webcam.go
index 22472702..be451bb6 100644
--- a/device/webcam/webcam.go
+++ b/device/webcam/webcam.go
@@ -115,7 +115,10 @@ func (w *Webcam) Set(c config.Config) error {
 		c.Bitrate = defaultBitrate
 	}
 	w.cfg = c
-	return errs
+	if len(errs) != 0 {
+		return errs
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Start will build the required arguments for ffmpeg and then execute the