diff --git a/base/VulkanTools.cpp b/base/VulkanTools.cpp
index 9376d5d0..7fbb520b 100644
--- a/base/VulkanTools.cpp
+++ b/base/VulkanTools.cpp
@@ -260,15 +260,16 @@ namespace vks
 				1, &imageMemoryBarrier);
 		}
 
-		void exitFatal(std::string message, std::string caption)
+		void exitFatal(std::string message, std::string caption, bool silent)
 		{
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-			MessageBox(NULL, message.c_str(), caption.c_str(), MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR);
+			if (!silent) {
+				MessageBox(NULL, message.c_str(), caption.c_str(), MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR);
+			}
 #elif defined(__ANDROID__)	
 			LOGE("Fatal error: %s", message.c_str());
-#else
-			std::cerr << message << "\n";
 #endif
+			std::cerr << message << "\n";
 			exit(1);
 		}
 
diff --git a/base/VulkanTools.h b/base/VulkanTools.h
index 09f7e931..510c8963 100644
--- a/base/VulkanTools.h
+++ b/base/VulkanTools.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ namespace vks
 			VkImageSubresourceRange subresourceRange);
 
 		// Display error message and exit on fatal error
-		void exitFatal(std::string message, std::string caption);
+		void exitFatal(std::string message, std::string caption, bool silent = false);
 
 		// Load a SPIR-V shader (binary) 
 #if defined(__ANDROID__)
diff --git a/base/vulkanexamplebase.cpp b/base/vulkanexamplebase.cpp
index 55dee6bc..cc654e4f 100644
--- a/base/vulkanexamplebase.cpp
+++ b/base/vulkanexamplebase.cpp
@@ -772,9 +772,8 @@ void VulkanExampleBase::initVulkan()
 
 	// Vulkan instance
 	err = createInstance(settings.validation);
-	if (err)
-	{
-		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not create Vulkan instance : \n" + vks::tools::errorString(err), "Fatal error");
+	if (err) {
+		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not create Vulkan instance : \n" + vks::tools::errorString(err), "Fatal error", !benchmark.active);
 	}
 
 #if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_ANDROID_KHR)
@@ -799,9 +798,8 @@ void VulkanExampleBase::initVulkan()
 	// Enumerate devices
 	std::vector<VkPhysicalDevice> physicalDevices(gpuCount);
 	err = vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices(instance, &gpuCount, physicalDevices.data());
-	if (err)
-	{
-		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not enumerate physical devices : \n" + vks::tools::errorString(err), "Fatal error");
+	if (err) {
+		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not enumerate physical devices : \n" + vks::tools::errorString(err), "Fatal error", !benchmark.active);
 	}
 
 	// GPU selection
@@ -876,7 +874,7 @@ void VulkanExampleBase::initVulkan()
 	vulkanDevice = new vks::VulkanDevice(physicalDevice);
 	VkResult res = vulkanDevice->createLogicalDevice(enabledFeatures, enabledExtensions);
 	if (res != VK_SUCCESS) {
-		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not create Vulkan device: \n" + vks::tools::errorString(res), "Fatal error");
+		vks::tools::exitFatal("Could not create Vulkan device: \n" + vks::tools::errorString(res), "Fatal error", !benchmark.active);
 	}
 	device = vulkanDevice->logicalDevice;