diff -Naur wmbatppc-2.3.old/wmbatppc.c wmbatppc-2.3/wmbatppc.c
--- wmbatppc-2.3.old/wmbatppc.c	2003-07-23 16:34:06.000000000 +0200
+++ wmbatppc-2.3/wmbatppc.c	2004-02-11 10:07:10.114990512 +0100
@@ -631,7 +631,6 @@
   int ref_bat; /* reference battery, ie the weakest one */
   char buf[128];
 
-
   if ((sys_pmu.time_left <= 0) ||
       ((sys_pmu.b[LEFT_BATTERY].available == NO_BATT) && (sys_pmu.b[RIGHT_BATTERY].available == NO_BATT)))
     return;
@@ -857,12 +856,18 @@
        * 1 line for the right battery
        */
       osd = xosd_create(3);
-      
-      xosd_set_font(osd, "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-*-*-14-*"); //"-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed-*-14-*-*-*-c-*-*-*");
-      xosd_set_timeout(osd, 5);
-      xosd_set_shadow_offset(osd, 2);
-      xosd_set_vertical_offset(osd, 10);
-      xosd_set_horizontal_offset(osd, 10);
+      if (osd == NULL)
+      {
+          fprintf(stderr, "%s: XOSD error: %s\n%s: XOSD disabled.\n", ProgName, xosd_error, ProgName);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        xosd_set_font(osd, "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-*-*-14-*"); //"-misc-fixed-medium-r-semicondensed-*-14-*-*-*-c-*-*-*");
+        xosd_set_timeout(osd, 5);
+        xosd_set_shadow_offset(osd, 2);
+        xosd_set_vertical_offset(osd, 10);
+        xosd_set_horizontal_offset(osd, 10);
+      }
 #endif /* ENABLE_XOSD */
       
       wmbatppc_routine(argc, argv);
@@ -935,7 +940,7 @@
       RedrawWindow();
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_XOSD
-      if ((osd_freq < 0) || ((curtime - last_osd) > osd_freq) || ((curtime - last_osd) < 0))
+      if (osd != NULL && ((osd_freq < 0) || ((curtime - last_osd) > osd_freq) || ((curtime - last_osd) < 0)))
 	DisplayOSD();
 
 #endif /* ENABLE_XOSD */