diff --git a/src/libopensc/ctx.c b/src/libopensc/ctx.c
index 78ccdbfe..ae97a5bc 100644
--- a/src/libopensc/ctx.c
+++ b/src/libopensc/ctx.c
@@ -319,6 +319,10 @@ int sc_establish_context(struct sc_context **ctx_out, const char *app_name)
 	del_drvs(&opts, 0);
 	del_drvs(&opts, 1);
 
+	if (ctx->reader_count == 0) {
+		sc_release_context(ctx);
+		return SC_ERROR_NO_READERS_FOUND;
+	}
 	*ctx_out = ctx;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/sc-test.c b/src/tests/sc-test.c
index 4ce3a90c..0c5a0cc7 100644
--- a/src/tests/sc-test.c
+++ b/src/tests/sc-test.c
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ int sc_test_init(int *argc, char *argv[])
 
 	printf("Using libopensc version %s.\n", sc_version);
 	i = sc_establish_context(&ctx, "tests");
-	if (i < 0) {
-		printf("sc_establish_context() failed (%d)\n", i);
+	if (i != SC_SUCCESS) {
+		printf("Failed to establish context: %s\n", sc_strerror(i));
 		return i;
 	}
 	i = sc_detect_card_presence(ctx->reader[0], 0);
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ int sc_test_init(int *argc, char *argv[])
 	printf("Connecting... ");
 	fflush(stdout);
 	i = sc_connect_card(ctx->reader[c], 0, &card);
-	if (i != 0) {
-		printf("Connecting to card failed\n");
+	if (i != SC_SUCCESS) {
+		printf("Connecting to card failed: %s\n", sc_strerror(i));
 		return i;
 	}
 	printf("connected.\nATR = ");