diff --git a/progress.cpp b/progress.cpp
index c7c210b..9d9d3ea 100644
--- a/progress.cpp
+++ b/progress.cpp
@@ -120,8 +120,10 @@ void show_words() {
 void show_truecolor(const sc::term& t) {
     // check for true color support
     char* support = getenv("COLORTERM");
-    if (!support || support[0] == '\0') return;
-
+    if (!support || support[0] == '\0') {
+        std::cerr << "no true color support\n";
+        return;
+    }
     const char* lhb = u8"\u2584"; // lower half block
     int inc = 6.0 * t.cols() / 256.0;
     if (inc == 0) inc = 1;