diff --git a/wish/python/src/wish_ext.cc b/wish/python/src/wish_ext.cc
index f3d2a31..92cdf72 100644
--- a/wish/python/src/wish_ext.cc
+++ b/wish/python/src/wish_ext.cc
@@ -228,7 +228,9 @@ NB_MODULE(wish_ext, m) {
       .def(nb::init<const std::string&, const std::string&,
                     const std::string&, const std::string&, int>())
       .def("init", [](TlsClientPy& self) {
-        return self.client.Init();
+        if (!self.client.Init()) {
+          throw std::runtime_error("TlsClient.init() failed");
+        }
       })
       .def("set_on_open", [](TlsClientPy& self, nb::object cb) {
         self.on_open_cb = cb;
@@ -291,7 +293,9 @@ NB_MODULE(wish_ext, m) {
   nb::class_<PlainClientPy>(m, "PlainClient", nb::type_slots(plain_slots))
       .def(nb::init<const std::string&, int>())
       .def("init", [](PlainClientPy& self) {
-        return self.client.Init();
+        if (!self.client.Init()) {
+          throw std::runtime_error("PlainClient.init() failed");
+        }
       })
       .def("set_on_open", [](PlainClientPy& self, nb::object cb) {
         self.on_open_cb = cb;
diff --git a/wish/python/wish/client.py b/wish/python/wish/client.py
index eec980e..495bd19 100644
--- a/wish/python/wish/client.py
+++ b/wish/python/wish/client.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ def __init__(self, host, port, tls, ca_file="", cert_file="", key_file=""):
             self._client = wish_ext.TlsClient(ca_file, cert_file, key_file, host, port)
         else:
             self._client = wish_ext.PlainClient(host, port)
-        if not self._client.init():
-            raise RuntimeError(f"Failed to initialize client for {host}:{port}")
+        self._client.init()  # raises RuntimeError on failure
         
         self._loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
         self._recv_queue = asyncio.Queue()