diff --git a/hurl.cabal b/hurl.cabal
--- a/hurl.cabal
+++ b/hurl.cabal
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 -- PVP summary:      +-+------- breaking API changes
 --                   | | +----- non-breaking API additions
 --                   | | | +--- code changes with no API change
-version:             1.1.0.0
+version:             1.2.0.0
 
 -- A short (one-line) description of the package.
 synopsis:            Haskell URL resolver
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
   -- other-extensions:    
   
   -- Other library packages from which modules are imported.
-  build-depends:       base >=4.9 && <4.10, text >= 1.2 && <1.3,
+  build-depends:       base >=4.9 && <=4.12, text >= 1.2 && <1.3,
                        network-uri >=2.6 && <2.7, bytestring >= 0.10 && < 0.11
   
   -- Directories containing source files.
@@ -104,4 +104,4 @@
   if flag(freedesktop)
     CPP-options:   -DWITH_XDG
     build-depends: filepath, directory, process >= 1.2 && <2.0
-    other-modules: Network.URI.XDG.Ini, Network.URI.XDG.MimeApps, Network.URI.XDG.DesktopEntry
+    other-modules: Network.URI.XDG.Ini, Network.URI.XDG.MimeApps, Network.URI.XDG.DesktopEntry, Network.URI.XDG
diff --git a/src/Network/URI/Fetch.hs b/src/Network/URI/Fetch.hs
--- a/src/Network/URI/Fetch.hs
+++ b/src/Network/URI/Fetch.hs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import           Network.URI
 import           Data.ByteString.Lazy (ByteString)
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as B
+import           Control.Exception
 
 #ifdef WITH_HTTP_URI
 import qualified Network.HTTP.Client as HTTP
@@ -87,12 +88,20 @@
         (response, (mimetype:_)) -> let mime = Txt.toLower $ convertCharset "utf-8" mimetype
             in resolveCharset (map (Txt.unpack . Txt.strip) $ Txt.splitOn ";" $ mime) response
         (response, []) -> (defaultMIME, Right response)
+  `catches` [
+    Handler $ \e -> do return ("text/plain", Left $ Txt.pack $ trans (locale session) $ Http e),
+    Handler $ \(ErrorCall msg) -> do return ("text/plain", Left $ Txt.pack msg)
+  ]
 #endif
 
 #ifdef WITH_FILE_URI
-fetchURL _ (defaultMIME:_) uri@URI {uriScheme = "file:"} = do
+fetchURL Session {locale = l} (defaultMIME:_) uri@URI {uriScheme = "file:"} = do
     response <- B.readFile $ uriPath uri
     return (defaultMIME, Right response)
+  `catch` \e -> do
+    return (
+        "text/plain",
+        Left $ Txt.pack $ trans l $ ReadFailed $ displayException (e :: IOException))
 #endif
 
 #ifdef WITH_DATA_URI
@@ -123,11 +132,10 @@
 
 dispatchByMIME :: Session -> String -> URI -> IO (Maybe String)
 #if WITH_XDG
-dispatchByMIME Session {locale = l, apps = a} mime uri
-    | canDispatchMIME a mime = dispatchURIByMIME l a uri mime
-#endif
-
+dispatchByMIME Session {locale = l, apps = a} mime uri = dispatchURIByMIME l a uri mime
+#else
 dispatchByMIME _ _ _ = return Nothing
+#endif
 
 #ifdef WITH_DATA_URI
 breakOn c (a:as) | c == a = ([], as)
diff --git a/src/Network/URI/Messages.hs b/src/Network/URI/Messages.hs
--- a/src/Network/URI/Messages.hs
+++ b/src/Network/URI/Messages.hs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
 -- | Module holding localized error messages to be presented as a response.
 --
 -- To localize error messages provided by HURL, provide your translations between
@@ -6,14 +7,33 @@
 -- The lines are formatted:
 --    trans ("LANG":_) (KEY) = "TRANSLATION"
 -- with uppercase indicating the bits you fill in.
+--
+-- Translations between #if WITH_HTTP_URI & #endif are specific to HTTP error handling.
 module Network.URI.Messages (trans, Errors(..)) where
 
+#if WITH_HTTP_URI
+import Network.HTTP.Client (HttpException(..), HttpExceptionContent(..))
+import Control.Exception (displayException)
+#endif
+
 --- BEGIN LOCALIZATION
 trans ("en":_) (UnsupportedScheme scheme) = "Unsupported protocol " ++ scheme
 trans ("en":_) (OpenedWith app) = "Opened in " ++ app
+trans ("en":_) (ReadFailed msg) = "Failed to read file: " ++ msg
+#if WITH_HTTP_URI
+trans ("en":_) (Http (InvalidUrlException url msg)) = "Invalid URL " ++ url ++ ": " ++ msg
+trans ("en":_) (Http (HttpExceptionRequest _ (TooManyRedirects _))) = "Too many redirects!"
+trans ("en":_) (Http (HttpExceptionRequest _ ResponseTimeout)) = "The site took too long to respond!"
+trans ("en":_) (Http (HttpExceptionRequest _ ConnectionTimeout)) = "The site took too long to connect!"
+trans ("en":_) (Http (HttpExceptionRequest _ (ConnectionFailure err))) = "Could not connect: " ++ displayException err
+trans ("en":_) (Http (HttpExceptionRequest _ _)) = "The site doesn't appear to speak the same language as me!"
+#endif
 --- END LOCALIZATION
 
 trans (_:locales) err = trans locales err
 trans [] err = trans ["en"] err
 
-data Errors = UnsupportedScheme String | OpenedWith String
+data Errors = UnsupportedScheme String | OpenedWith String | ReadFailed String
+#if WITH_HTTP_URI
+    | Http HttpException
+#endif
diff --git a/src/Network/URI/XDG.hs b/src/Network/URI/XDG.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Network/URI/XDG.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+module Network.URI.XDG(HandlersConfig, loadHandlers, canDispatchMIME, dispatchURIByMIME) where
+
+import Network.URI (URI(..))
+import Network.URI.XDG.DesktopEntry
+import Network.URI.XDG.MimeApps
+
+canDispatchMIME :: HandlersConfig -> String -> Bool
+canDispatchMIME config mime = not $ null $ queryHandlers config mime
+
+dispatchURIByMIME :: [String] -> HandlersConfig -> URI -> String -> IO (Maybe String)
+dispatchURIByMIME locales config uri mime =
+    queryHandlers config mime `mapFirstM` launchApp locales uri
+
+mapFirstM :: [a] -> (a -> IO (Maybe b)) -> IO (Maybe b)
+mapFirstM (x:xs) cb = do
+    item <- cb x
+    case item of
+        Just _ -> return item
+        Nothing -> mapFirstM xs cb
+mapFirstM [] _ = return Nothing
diff --git a/src/Network/URI/XDG/MimeApps.hs b/src/Network/URI/XDG/MimeApps.hs
--- a/src/Network/URI/XDG/MimeApps.hs
+++ b/src/Network/URI/XDG/MimeApps.hs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import Control.Monad (forM)
+import Control.Exception (catch)
 import System.FilePath
 import Data.List (nub, (\\))
 import System.Directory (getHomeDirectory)
@@ -16,8 +17,13 @@
     dir0 <- mimeAppsDirs "XDG_CONFIG" ".config" "/etc/xdg"
     dir1 <- mimeAppsDirs "XDG_DATA" ".local/share" "/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/"
     let filepaths = mimeAppsFiles (dir0 ++ map (</> "applications") dir1) desktop
-    files <- forM filepaths readFile
+    files <- forM filepaths tryReadFile
     return $ map parseIni files
+
+tryReadFile path = readFile path `catch` handler
+  where
+    handler :: IOError -> IO String
+    handler e = return ""
 
 mimeAppsDirs envPrefix defaultHome defaultDirs = do
     home <- lookupEnv (envPrefix ++ "_HOME")