diff --git a/ambientd.c3 b/ambientd.c3
index ea9346d..005f017 100644
--- a/ambientd.c3
+++ b/ambientd.c3
@@ -94,29 +94,32 @@ fn int main()
 	}
 
 	// get the max brightness
-	int! _x = read_int(MAX_BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
-	if (catch excuse = _x) {
+	int max_brightness;
+	int min_brightness;
+	int! opt = read_int(MAX_BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
+	if (try unwrapped = opt) {
+		max_brightness = unwrapped;
+	} if (catch excuse = opt) {
 		io::eprintfn("Error reading max brightness on %s: %s", MAX_BRIGHTNESS_DEV, excuse);
-		thread::exit(1);
+		return 1;
 	}
-	int max_brightness = _x!!;
-	int min_brightness = (int)(max_brightness * MIN_BRIGHTNESS_PERCENT);
+	min_brightness = (int)(max_brightness * MIN_BRIGHTNESS_PERCENT);
 
 	// try writing to brightness device
-	_x = read_int(BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
-	if (catch excuse = _x) {
+	int! br = read_int(BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
+	if (catch excuse = br) {
 		io::eprintfn("Error reading from %s: %s", BRIGHTNESS_DEV, excuse);
-		thread::exit(1);
+		return 1;
 	}
-	if (catch excuse = write_int(BRIGHTNESS_DEV, _x)) {
-	   io::eprintfn("Error writing to brightness device %s: %s", BRIGHTNESS_DEV, excuse);
-		thread::exit(1);
+	if (catch excuse = write_int(BRIGHTNESS_DEV, br)) {
+		io::eprintfn("Error writing to brightness device %s: %s", BRIGHTNESS_DEV, excuse);
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	// try reading from the actual brightness device
 	if (catch excuse = read_int(ACTUAL_BRIGHTNESS_DEV)) {
 		io::eprintfn("Error reading from %s: %s", ACTUAL_BRIGHTNESS_DEV, excuse);
-		thread::exit(1);
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	int x = get_luminance_raw() ?? MAX_LUMINANCE;
@@ -160,19 +163,19 @@ fn int main()
 		thread::sleep_ms(SLEEP_DELAY);
 
 		// read actual brightness to get the user offset
-		int! actual_brightness;
+		int actual_brightness;
 		int off;
-		actual_brightness = read_int(ACTUAL_BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
-		if (catch excuse = actual_brightness) {
+		tmp = read_int(ACTUAL_BRIGHTNESS_DEV);
+		actual_brightness = tmp ?? brightness_adjusted;
+		if (catch excuse = tmp) {
 			io::eprintfn("Error reading actual brightness: %s", excuse);
-			actual_brightness = brightness_adjusted;
 		}
 
 		// if the actual brightness is zero, it means that the screen is turned
 		// off for some reason, usually DPMS. As such it should not count for user
 		// offset. Look at the TODO file.
-		if (actual_brightness!! != 0) {
-		off = actual_brightness!! - brightness_target;
+		if (actual_brightness != 0) {
+			off = actual_brightness - brightness_target;
 			if (brightness_target != max_brightness || off < 0){
 				user_offset = off;
 			}