diff --git a/pkgs/qmi-nmea/qmi-nmea.py b/pkgs/qmi-nmea/qmi-nmea.py
index 46e3a21..843af7b 100644
--- a/pkgs/qmi-nmea/qmi-nmea.py
+++ b/pkgs/qmi-nmea/qmi-nmea.py
@@ -44,20 +44,14 @@ def release_client_ready(dev,result,user_data=None):
 def release_client(client):
     device.release_client(client, Qmi.DeviceReleaseClientFlags.RELEASE_CID, 10, None, release_client_ready, None)
 
-
-def on_operation_mode(client, output, task):
-    print("on  operation mode ", client, output, task)
-    print(output.get_operation_mode())
-
 def get_operation_mode_ready(client, result, user_data=None):
     try:
         output = client.get_operation_mode_finish(result)
-        # should be None for no error
-        print("operation mode result", output.get_result())
-        client.connect("get-operation-mode", on_operation_mode)
+        if output.get_result() != None:
+            die(sys.stderr.write("unexpected result from get_operation_mode:",  output.get_result()))
 
     except GLib.GError as error:
-        sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't get operation mode: %s\n" % error.message)
+        die(sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't get operation mode: %s\n" % error.message))
 
 def on_gnss_data(client, output, user_data=None):
     sys.stdout.write(output.get_nmea_string())
@@ -65,24 +59,24 @@ def on_gnss_data(client, output, user_data=None):
 def register_events_ready(client, result, user_data=None):
     try:
         output = client.register_events_finish(result)
-        print("output", output.get_result())
+        if output.get_result() != None:
+            die(sys.stderr.write("unexpected result from register_events:",  output.get_result()))
+
         client.connect("nmea", on_gnss_data)
     except GLib.GError as error:
-        sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't register events: %s\n" % error.message)
+        die(sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't register events: %s\n" % error.message))
 
 def start_streaming_ready(client, result, user_data=None):
-    print("streaming ready", client, result)
     try:
         output = client.start_finish(result)
         if output.get_result() == None:
             events = Qmi.MessageLocRegisterEventsInput()
             events.set_event_registration_mask(Qmi.LocEventRegistrationFlag.NMEA)
 
-            print("events, dear boy", events)
             client.register_events(events, 10, None, register_events_ready, None)
 
     except GLib.GError as error:
-        sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't start: %s\n" % error.message)
+        die(sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't start: %s\n" % error.message))
 
 def start_streaming(client):
     fix_type = Qmi.LocFixRecurrenceType.PERIODIC_FIXES
@@ -95,7 +89,7 @@ def start_streaming(client):
 
 
 def on_get_operation_mode(client, output):
-    print("operation mode indication ", output.get_operation_mode())
+    print("operation mode indication ", output.get_operation_mode(), file=sys.stderr)
     start_streaming(client)
 
 def allocate_client_ready(dev,result,user_data=None):
@@ -105,7 +99,6 @@ def allocate_client_ready(dev,result,user_data=None):
         sys.stderr.write("error: couldn't allocate QMI client: %s\n" % error.message)
         device_close()
         return
-    print("client id ", client.get_cid())
     client.connect("get-operation-mode", on_get_operation_mode)
     client.get_operation_mode(None, 10, None, get_operation_mode_ready, None)
 
@@ -151,7 +144,5 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     GLib.unix_signal_add(GLib.PRIORITY_HIGH, signal.SIGTERM, signal_handler, None)
     try:
         main_loop.run()
-    except TypeError:
-        print(traceback.format_exc())
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         pass