diff --git a/src/picom.c b/src/picom.c
index fedcf55..9d2e93b 100644
--- a/src/picom.c
+++ b/src/picom.c
@@ -1355,9 +1355,7 @@ static void handle_pending_updates(EV_P_ struct session *ps) {
 		log_debug("Delayed handling of events, entering critical section");
 		auto e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_grab_server_checked(ps->c));
 		if (e) {
-			log_fatal("failed to grab x server");
-			x_print_error(e->full_sequence, e->major_code, e->minor_code,
-			              e->error_code);
+			log_fatal_x_error(e, "failed to grab x server");
 			return quit(ps);
 		}
 
@@ -1389,9 +1387,7 @@ static void handle_pending_updates(EV_P_ struct session *ps) {
 
 		e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_ungrab_server_checked(ps->c));
 		if (e) {
-			log_fatal("failed to ungrab x server");
-			x_print_error(e->full_sequence, e->major_code, e->minor_code,
-			              e->error_code);
+			log_fatal_x_error(e, "failed to ungrab x server");
 			return quit(ps);
 		}
 
@@ -1701,8 +1697,7 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 	                                  XCB_EVENT_MASK_EXPOSURE | XCB_EVENT_MASK_STRUCTURE_NOTIFY |
 	                                  XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE}));
 	if (e) {
-		log_error("Failed to setup root window event mask");
-		free(e);
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to setup root window event mask");
 	}
 
 	xcb_prefetch_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_render_id);
@@ -1903,8 +1898,8 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 		e = xcb_request_check(
 		    ps->c, xcb_sync_create_fence(ps->c, ps->root, ps->sync_fence, 0));
 		if (e) {
-			log_error("Failed to create a XSync fence. xrender-sync-fence "
-			          "will be disabled");
+			log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to create a XSync fence. "
+			                     "xrender-sync-fence will be disabled");
 			ps->o.xrender_sync_fence = false;
 			ps->sync_fence = XCB_NONE;
 			free(e);
@@ -2118,7 +2113,7 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 
 	e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_ungrab_server(ps->c));
 	if (e) {
-		log_error("Failed to ungrab server");
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to ungrab server");
 		free(e);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index ce331e4..5af873b 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -205,8 +205,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(xcb_connection_t *c,
 	                             c, tmp_picture, pixmap, pictfmt->id, valuemask, buf));
 	free(buf);
 	if (e) {
-		x_print_error(e->full_sequence, e->major_code, e->minor_code, e->error_code);
-		log_error("failed to create picture");
+		log_error_x_error(e, "failed to create picture");
 		return XCB_NONE;
 	}
 	return tmp_picture;
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ bool x_fetch_region(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_xfixes_region_t r, pixman_region32_
 	xcb_xfixes_fetch_region_reply_t *xr =
 	    xcb_xfixes_fetch_region_reply(c, xcb_xfixes_fetch_region(c, r), &e);
 	if (!xr) {
-		log_error("Failed to fetch rectangles");
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to fetch rectangles");
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -301,9 +300,10 @@ void x_set_picture_clip_region(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_render_picture_t pict,
 	xcb_generic_error_t *e = xcb_request_check(
 	    c, xcb_render_set_picture_clip_rectangles_checked(
 	           c, pict, clip_x_origin, clip_y_origin, to_u32_checked(nrects), xrects));
-	if (e)
-		log_error("Failed to set clip region");
-	free(e);
+	if (e) {
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to set clip region");
+		free(e);
+	}
 	free(xrects);
 	return;
 }
@@ -312,9 +312,10 @@ void x_clear_picture_clip_region(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_render_picture_t pict)
 	xcb_render_change_picture_value_list_t v = {.clipmask = XCB_NONE};
 	xcb_generic_error_t *e = xcb_request_check(
 	    c, xcb_render_change_picture(c, pict, XCB_RENDER_CP_CLIP_MASK, &v));
-	if (e)
-		log_error("failed to clear clip region");
-	free(e);
+	if (e) {
+		log_error_x_error(e, "failed to clear clip region");
+		free(e);
+	}
 	return;
 }
 
@@ -436,8 +437,7 @@ xcb_pixmap_t x_create_pixmap(xcb_connection_t *c, uint8_t depth, xcb_drawable_t
 	if (err == NULL)
 		return pix;
 
-	log_error("Failed to create pixmap:");
-	x_print_error(err->sequence, err->major_code, err->minor_code, err->error_code);
+	log_error_x_error(err, "Failed to create pixmap");
 	free(err);
 	return XCB_NONE;
 }
@@ -508,25 +508,26 @@ bool x_fence_sync(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_sync_fence_t f) {
 
 	auto e = xcb_request_check(c, xcb_sync_trigger_fence_checked(c, f));
 	if (e) {
-		log_error("Failed to trigger the fence.");
-		free(e);
-		return false;
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to trigger the fence");
+		goto err;
 	}
 
 	e = xcb_request_check(c, xcb_sync_await_fence_checked(c, 1, &f));
 	if (e) {
-		log_error("Failed to await on a fence.");
-		free(e);
-		return false;
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to await on a fence");
+		goto err;
 	}
 
 	e = xcb_request_check(c, xcb_sync_reset_fence_checked(c, f));
 	if (e) {
-		log_error("Failed to reset the fence.");
-		free(e);
-		return false;
+		log_error_x_error(e, "Failed to reset the fence");
+		goto err;
 	}
 	return true;
+
+err:
+	free(e);
+	return false;
 }
 
 // xcb-render specific macros
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 9ee33cd..e408428 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ struct xvisual_info {
 		__r;                                                                     \
 	})
 
+#define log_error_x_error(e, fmt, ...)                                                   \
+	LOG(ERROR, fmt " (%s)", ##__VA_ARGS__, x_strerror(e))
+#define log_fatal_x_error(e, fmt, ...)                                                   \
+	LOG(FATAL, fmt " (%s)", ##__VA_ARGS__, x_strerror(e))
+
 /// Wraps x_new_id. abort the program if x_new_id returns error
 static inline uint32_t x_new_id(xcb_connection_t *c) {
 	auto ret = xcb_generate_id(c);