diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/apt/ConvertAnnotationProcessorEnvironment.java b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/apt/ConvertAnnotationProcessorEnvironment.java
index 0c38a3b..0a69be4 100755
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/apt/ConvertAnnotationProcessorEnvironment.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/apt/ConvertAnnotationProcessorEnvironment.java
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ public class ConvertAnnotationProcessorEnvironment implements AnnotationProcesso
 		elements = internal.getElementUtils();
 		ConvertDeclaration.elements = elements;
 		ConvertTypeMirror.types = internal.getTypeUtils();
+		ConvertDeclaration.messager = ConvertTypeMirror.messager = internal.getMessager();
 
 		// now calculate options once, since they are sort-of expensive
 		// real apt passes them back like so:
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/declaration/ConvertDeclaration.java b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/declaration/ConvertDeclaration.java
index 4aa7bab..562fed6 100755
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/declaration/ConvertDeclaration.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/declaration/ConvertDeclaration.java
@@ -26,13 +26,16 @@ import com.sun.mirror.util.DeclarationVisitor;
 import com.sun.mirror.util.SourcePosition;
 import com.moparisthebest.mirror.log.Debug;
 
+import javax.annotation.processing.Messager;
 import javax.lang.model.element.*;
 import javax.lang.model.util.Elements;
+import javax.tools.Diagnostic;
 import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.util.*;
 
 public class ConvertDeclaration extends Convertable<Element, Declaration> implements com.sun.mirror.declaration.Declaration {
 
+	public static Messager messager = null;
 	public static Elements elements = null;
 	protected final javax.lang.model.element.Element internalElement;
 
@@ -106,12 +109,9 @@ public class ConvertDeclaration extends Convertable<Element, Declaration> implem
 				return (T) new ConvertParameterDeclaration((VariableElement) from);
 			case FIELD:
 				return (T) new ConvertFieldDeclaration((VariableElement) from);
-			default:
-				System.err.println("FATAL ERROR, REACHED DEFAULT!");
-				System.exit(1);
-				//throw new RuntimeException("FATAL ERROR, REACHED DEFAULT!");
 		}
 		// shouldn't ever get here
+		messager.printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.ERROR, "ConvertDeclaration reached default for kind: " + from.getKind(), from);
 		return (T) new ConvertDeclaration(from);
 
 	}
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/type/ConvertTypeMirror.java b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/type/ConvertTypeMirror.java
index 5c20e63..ee53bfc 100755
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/type/ConvertTypeMirror.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/moparisthebest/mirror/type/ConvertTypeMirror.java
@@ -22,12 +22,15 @@ import com.moparisthebest.mirror.convert.Convertable;
 import com.sun.mirror.util.TypeVisitor;
 import com.moparisthebest.mirror.log.Debug;
 
+import javax.annotation.processing.Messager;
 import javax.lang.model.type.TypeMirror;
 import javax.lang.model.util.Types;
+import javax.tools.Diagnostic;
 
 public class ConvertTypeMirror extends Convertable<TypeMirror, com.sun.mirror.type.TypeMirror> implements com.sun.mirror.type.TypeMirror {
 	protected final javax.lang.model.type.TypeMirror internalTypeMirror;
 
+	public static Messager messager = null;
 	public static Types types = null;
 
 	protected ConvertTypeMirror(javax.lang.model.type.TypeMirror internalTypeMirror) {
@@ -100,17 +103,15 @@ public class ConvertTypeMirror extends Convertable<TypeMirror, com.sun.mirror.ty
 					case ANNOTATION_TYPE:
 						return (T) new ConvertAnnotationType(dt);
 				}
+			//case ERROR:
+			//	return (T) new ConvertDeclaredType((javax.lang.model.type.ErrorType)from);
 			case NONE:
 			case NULL:
 				return null;
-			default:
-				System.err.println("FATAL ERROR, REACHED DEFAULT!");
-				System.exit(1);
-				//throw new RuntimeException("FATAL ERROR, REACHED DEFAULT!");
 		}
 		// shouldn't ever get here
+		messager.printMessage(Diagnostic.Kind.ERROR, "ConvertTypeMirror reached default for kind: " + from.getKind(), types.asElement(from));
 		return (T) new ConvertTypeMirror(from);
-
 	}
 
 	@Override