diff --git a/menus.py b/menus.py
index 72da1e5..98e7813 100644
--- a/menus.py
+++ b/menus.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from PyQt4 import QtGui, QtCore
 import re, ostools
 
 from os import remove
-from generic import RightClickList, RightClickTree, MultiTextDialog
+from generic import RightClickList, RightClickTree, MultiTextDialog, NoneSound
 from dataobjs import pesterQuirk, PesterProfile
 from memos import TimeSlider, TimeInput
 from version import _pcVersion
@@ -1065,7 +1065,18 @@ class PesterOptions(QtGui.QDialog):
         self.volume.setValue(self.config.volume())
         self.connect(self.volume, QtCore.SIGNAL('valueChanged(int)'),
                      self, QtCore.SLOT('printValue(int)'))
-        self.currentVol = QtGui.QLabel(str(self.config.volume())+"%", self)
+        # Disable the volume slider if we can't actually use it.
+        if parent.canSetVolume():
+            self.currentVol = QtGui.QLabel(
+                    "{0!s}%".format(self.config.volume()), self)
+            # We don't need to explicitly set this, but it helps drive the
+            # point home
+            self.volume.setEnabled(True)
+        else:
+            # We can't set the volume....
+            self.currentVol = QtGui.QLabel(
+                    "(Disabled: Sound Mixer Error)", self)
+            self.volume.setEnabled(False)
         self.currentVol.setAlignment(QtCore.Qt.AlignHCenter)
 
 
@@ -1233,6 +1244,7 @@ class PesterOptions(QtGui.QDialog):
         self.notifyChange(self.notifycheck.checkState())
 
         if parent.advanced:
+            # NOTE: This doesn't do anything right now - so change it!
             self.modechange = QtGui.QLineEdit(self)
             layout_change = QtGui.QHBoxLayout()
             layout_change.addWidget(QtGui.QLabel("Change:"))
@@ -1308,7 +1320,13 @@ class PesterOptions(QtGui.QDialog):
         layout_indent.setContentsMargins(22,0,0,0)
         layout_sound.addLayout(layout_indent)
         layout_sound.addSpacing(15)
-        layout_sound.addWidget(QtGui.QLabel("Master Volume:", self))
+        mvol = QtGui.QLabel("Master Volume:", self)
+        # If we can't set the volume, grey this out as well
+        #~mvol.setEnabled(parent.canSetVolume())
+        # Normally we'd grey this out, but that presently makes things
+        # rather unreadable
+        # Later we can look into changing the color to a theme[] entry
+        layout_sound.addWidget(mvol)
         layout_sound.addWidget(self.volume)
         layout_sound.addWidget(self.currentVol)
         self.pages.addWidget(widget)
diff --git a/pesterchum.py b/pesterchum.py
index 4deaedb..e816388 100644
--- a/pesterchum.py
+++ b/pesterchum.py
@@ -1086,6 +1086,13 @@ class PesterWindow(MovingWindow):
         self.tabconvo = None
         self.tabmemo = None
         self.shortcuts = AttrDict()
+        # karxi: For the record, these are set via commandline arguments. By
+        # default, they aren't usable any other way - you can't set them via
+        # the config files.
+        # ...which means the flag for disabling honking is also hidden and
+        # impossible to set via pesterchum.js.
+        #
+        # This was almost certainly intentional.
         if "advanced" in options:
               self.advanced = options["advanced"]
         else: self.advanced = False
@@ -1108,12 +1115,14 @@ class PesterWindow(MovingWindow):
             self.theme = self.userprofile.getTheme()
         self.modes = ""
 
+        self.sound_type = None
+
         self.randhandler = RandomHandler(self)
 
         try:
             themeChecker(self.theme)
         except ThemeException as inst:
-            print "Caught: " + inst.parameter
+            logging.error("Caught: " + inst.parameter)
             themeWarning = QtGui.QMessageBox(self)
             themeWarning.setText("Theme Error: %s" % inst)
             themeWarning.exec_()
@@ -1814,6 +1823,8 @@ class PesterWindow(MovingWindow):
                 # We don't have any options...just use fillers.
                 soundclass = NoneSound
 
+        self.sound_type = soundclass
+
         # Use the class we chose to build the sound set.
         try:
             # karxi: These all seem to be created using local paths.
@@ -1825,7 +1836,7 @@ class PesterWindow(MovingWindow):
             self.ceasesound = soundclass(self.theme["main/sounds/ceasesound"])
             self.honksound = soundclass("themes/honk.wav")
         except Exception as err:
-            print "Warning: Error loading sounds!"
+            logging.error("Warning: Error loading sounds! ({0!r})".format(err))
             self.alarm = NoneSound()
             self.memosound = NoneSound()
             self.namesound = NoneSound()
@@ -1852,6 +1863,18 @@ class PesterWindow(MovingWindow):
             except Exception as err:
                 logging.info("Couldn't set volume: {}".format(err))
 
+    def canSetVolume(self):
+        """Returns the state of volume setting capabilities."""
+        # If the volume can be changed by Pesterchum.
+        if self.sound_type is None:
+            # We haven't initialized yet.
+            return False
+        if pygame and pygame.mixer:
+            # pygame lets us set the volume, thankfully
+            return True
+        # Aside from that, we don't have any alternatives at the moment.
+        return False
+
     def changeTheme(self, theme):
         # check theme
         try: