diff --git a/src/mu-util.h b/src/mu-util.h
index 7a05e721..76cc0535 100644
--- a/src/mu-util.h
+++ b/src/mu-util.h
@@ -77,20 +77,20 @@ gboolean mu_util_check_dir (const gchar* path, gboolean readable,
  */
 #define MU_XAPIAN_CATCH_BLOCK						\
 	catch (const Xapian::Error &err) {				\
-                g_warning ("%s: caught xapian exception '%s'",		\
+                g_critical ("%s: caught xapian exception '%s'",		\
 			__FUNCTION__, err.get_msg().c_str());		\
         } catch (...) {							\
-                g_warning ("%s: caught exception", __FUNCTION__);	\
+                g_critical ("%s: caught exception", __FUNCTION__);	\
         }
 
 
 #define MU_XAPIAN_CATCH_BLOCK_RETURN(R)					\
 	catch (const Xapian::Error &err) {				\
-                g_warning ("%s: caught xapian exception '%s'",		\
+                g_critical ("%s: caught xapian exception '%s'",		\
 			   __FUNCTION__, err.get_msg().c_str());	\
 		return (R);						\
         } catch (...) {							\
-                g_warning ("%s: caught exception", __FUNCTION__);	\
+                g_critical ("%s: caught exception", __FUNCTION__);	\
 		return (R);						\
         }