diff --git a/dumpcap.c b/dumpcap.c
index 2d4bf513e7..82d516843d 100644
--- a/dumpcap.c
+++ b/dumpcap.c
@@ -3779,6 +3779,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     gboolean          arg_error             = FALSE;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
+    int               result;
     WSADATA           wsaData;
 #else
     struct sigaction  action, oldaction;
@@ -3970,7 +3971,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     /*wpcap_packet_load();*/
 
     /* Start windows sockets */
-    WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    result = WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    if (result != 0)
+    {
+        g_log(LOG_DOMAIN_CAPTURE_CHILD, G_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR,
+                          "ERROR: WSAStartup failed with error: %d", result);
+        exit_main(1);
+    }
 
     /* Set handler for Ctrl+C key */
     SetConsoleCtrlHandler(capture_cleanup_handler, TRUE);
diff --git a/rawshark.c b/rawshark.c
index e319acd01c..032ee93a7c 100644
--- a/rawshark.c
+++ b/rawshark.c
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     gboolean             arg_error = FALSE;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
+    int                  result;
     WSADATA              wsaData;
 #else
     struct rlimit limit;
@@ -824,7 +825,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     /* Start windows sockets */
-    WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    result = WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    if (result != 0)
+    {
+        ret = INIT_ERROR;
+        goto clean_exit;
+    }
 #endif /* _WIN32 */
 
     /* At this point MATE will have registered its field array so we can
diff --git a/sharkd_daemon.c b/sharkd_daemon.c
index f9279706ea..0dc23e679c 100644
--- a/sharkd_daemon.c
+++ b/sharkd_daemon.c
@@ -73,8 +73,13 @@ socket_init(char *path)
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	WSADATA wsaData;
+	int result;
 
-	WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(1, 1), &wsaData);
+	result = WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(1, 1), &wsaData);
+	if (result != 0) {
+		g_warning("ERROR: WSAStartup failed with error: %d", result);
+		return INVALID_SOCKET;
+	}
 #endif
 
 #ifdef SHARKD_UNIX_SUPPORT
diff --git a/tshark.c b/tshark.c
index 68964bbd57..3ccb2d8467 100644
--- a/tshark.c
+++ b/tshark.c
@@ -661,6 +661,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
   gboolean             arg_error = FALSE;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
+  int                  result;
   WSADATA              wsaData;
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
@@ -1769,7 +1770,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
   /* Start windows sockets */
-  WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+  result = WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+  if (result != 0)
+  {
+    exit_status = INIT_FAILED;
+    goto clean_exit;
+  }
 #endif /* _WIN32 */
 
   /* Notify all registered modules that have had any of their preferences
diff --git a/ui/gtk/main.c b/ui/gtk/main.c
index 348868fdf5..c8b030b2fc 100644
--- a/ui/gtk/main.c
+++ b/ui/gtk/main.c
@@ -2066,6 +2066,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     WSADATA              wsaData;
+    int                  result;
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
     char                *rf_path;
@@ -2197,7 +2198,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     /* Start windows sockets */
-    WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    result = WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    if (result != 0) {
+        simple_dialog(ESD_TYPE_WARN, ESD_BTN_OK,
+                      "Error: WSAStartup failed with error: %d", result);
+        ret = INIT_FAILED;
+        goto clean_exit;
+    }
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
     profile_store_persconffiles (TRUE);
diff --git a/wireshark-qt.cpp b/wireshark-qt.cpp
index 1f92a5de7b..d8a0afb562 100644
--- a/wireshark-qt.cpp
+++ b/wireshark-qt.cpp
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *qt_argv[])
     char               **argv = qt_argv;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
+    int                  result;
     WSADATA              wsaData;
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
@@ -509,7 +510,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *qt_argv[])
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
     /* Start windows sockets */
-    WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    result = WSAStartup( MAKEWORD( 1, 1 ), &wsaData );
+    if (result != 0)
+    {
+        ret_val = INIT_FAILED;
+        goto clean_exit;
+    }
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 
     /* Read the profile dependent (static part) of the recent file. */