diff --git a/inc/basic_widgets/core/error_helper.hpp b/inc/basic_widgets/core/error_helper.hpp
index 1cbfebb..bf1e91a 100644
--- a/inc/basic_widgets/core/error_helper.hpp
+++ b/inc/basic_widgets/core/error_helper.hpp
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 namespace bwidgets
 {
     template<Exception E, typename T>
-    inline auto ptr_or_throw(T* ptr, const std::string& w = "") -> T*
+    inline auto ptr_or_throw(T* ptr, const std::string& w = "unknown") -> T*
     {
         std::string what;
-        if constexpr (std::is_same_v<E, SDLError>) what = w.empty() ? SDL_GetError() : w;
+        if constexpr (std::is_same_v<E, SDLError>) what = w == "unknown" ? SDL_GetError() : w;
         else what = w;
 
         if (ptr == nullptr) throw E(what);
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ namespace bwidgets
 
     template<Exception E, typename T>
     inline auto success_or_throw(
-      T code, const std::string& w = "",
+      T code, const std::string& w = "unknown",
       std::function<bool(T)> success = [](T code) { return code == 0; }) -> T
     {
-        std::string what {w.empty() ? SDL_GetError() : w};
+        std::string what {w == "unknown" ? SDL_GetError() : w};
         if constexpr (std::is_same_v<E, SDLError>) {
             if (code <= 0) throw E(what);
         }
-        else if (!success(code)) throw E(what);
+        else if (success(code)) throw E(what);
 
         return code;
     }