diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.cpp b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
index 5a4520e5..20eb4d54 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ int runSync(const QString& program, const QStringList &args, const QStringList &
     p.start(program, args);
     qDebug() << "started..." << program << args;
     p.waitForFinished(-1);
+    if (p.exitCode()) {
+        qWarning() << program << args << "exited with code" << p.exitCode() << p.readAllStandardError();
+    }
     return p.exitCode();
 }
 
@@ -292,7 +295,7 @@ QProcess* setupKSplash()
         const KConfig cfg("ksplashrc");
         // the splashscreen and progress indicator
         KConfigGroup ksplashCfg = cfg.group("KSplash");
-        if (ksplashCfg.readEntry("Engine") == QLatin1String("KSplashQML")) {
+        if (ksplashCfg.readEntry("Engine", QStringLiteral("KSplashQML")) == QLatin1String("KSplashQML")) {
             p = new QProcess;
             p->start("ksplashqml", { ksplashCfg.readEntry("Theme") });
         }