--- gpm-1.20.1/src/lib/liblow.c.orig	2006-03-07 12:06:59.000000000 -0300
+++ gpm-1.20.1/src/lib/liblow.c	2006-03-07 12:09:30.000000000 -0300
@@ -217,6 +217,10 @@ int Gpm_Open(Gpm_Connect *conn, int flag
    /* check whether we know what name the console is: what's with the lib??? */
    if(checked_con == 0) {
       option.consolename = Gpm_get_console();
+	  if (!option.console) {
+		  gpm_report(GPM_PR_ERR,"unable to open gpm console, check your /dev filesystem!\n");
+		  goto err;
+	  }
       checked_con++;
    }   
 
