diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9898abee5a..54763166c0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -31,6 +31,19 @@ callback, the user must call spdk_for_each_channel_continue() to resume iteratio
 The poller abstraction was removed from the bdev layer. There is now a general purpose
 abstraction for pollers available in include/spdk/io_channel.h
 
+### Lib
+
+A set of changes were made in the SPDK's lib code altering,
+instances of calls to `exit()` and `abort()` to return a failure instead
+wherever reasonably possible.  This has resulted in return type changes of
+the API for:
+
+- spdk_env_init() from type `void` to `int`.
+- spdk_mem_map_init() from type `void` to `int`.
+
+Applications making use of these APIs should be modified to check for
+a non-zero return value instead of relying on them to fail without return.
+
 ### NVMe Driver
 
 SPDK now supports hotplug for vfio-attached devices. But there is one thing keep in mind:
diff --git a/examples/bdev/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c b/examples/bdev/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
index 4540b0cb77..d639431c8a 100644
--- a/examples/bdev/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
+++ b/examples/bdev/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
@@ -251,7 +251,11 @@ spdk_fio_init_env(struct thread_data *td)
 		opts.mem_size = eo->mem_mb;
 	}
 
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		spdk_conf_free(config);
+		return -1;
+	}
 	spdk_unaffinitize_thread();
 
 	/* Create an SPDK thread temporarily */
diff --git a/examples/ioat/perf/perf.c b/examples/ioat/perf/perf.c
index 4f5a0ae3bc..4540cedb9d 100644
--- a/examples/ioat/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/ioat/perf/perf.c
@@ -385,7 +385,9 @@ init(void)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "perf";
 	opts.core_mask = g_user_config.core_mask;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/examples/ioat/verify/verify.c b/examples/ioat/verify/verify.c
index b3a656b1fd..4089bc800d 100644
--- a/examples/ioat/verify/verify.c
+++ b/examples/ioat/verify/verify.c
@@ -385,7 +385,10 @@ init(void)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "verify";
 	opts.core_mask = g_user_config.core_mask;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	if (init_src_buffer() != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Could not init src buffer\n");
diff --git a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
index ea1fd7e4e4..8065b1bac2 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
@@ -1094,7 +1094,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "arb";
 	opts.core_mask = g_arbitration.core_mask;
 	opts.shm_id = g_arbitration.shm_id;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	g_arbitration.tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
 
diff --git a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
index 12caed6d70..d7e90592eb 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
@@ -243,7 +243,14 @@ static int spdk_fio_setup(struct thread_data *td)
 		opts.name = "fio";
 		opts.mem_size = fio_options->mem_size;
 		opts.shm_id = fio_options->shm_id;
-		spdk_env_init(&opts);
+		if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+			free(fio_thread->iocq);
+			free(fio_thread);
+			fio_thread = NULL;
+			pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
+			return 1;
+		}
 		spdk_env_initialized = true;
 		spdk_unaffinitize_thread();
 	}
diff --git a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
index 6230a90954..23e1a21004 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
@@ -317,7 +317,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "hello_world";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	printf("Initializing NVMe Controllers\n");
 
diff --git a/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c b/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
index 5d76a9128d..66d93a71a3 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/hotplug/hotplug.c
@@ -460,7 +460,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (g_shm_id > -1) {
 		opts.shm_id = g_shm_id;
 	}
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	g_tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
 
diff --git a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
index eb354e7110..8379359090 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
@@ -1284,7 +1284,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (g_trid.trtype != SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_PCIE) {
 		opts.no_pci = true;
 	}
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	/* A specific trid is required. */
 	if (strlen(g_trid.traddr) != 0) {
diff --git a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
index de757a1025..8a023d7aa5 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
@@ -895,7 +895,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "nvme_manage";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
 	opts.shm_id = g_shm_id;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	if (spdk_nvme_probe(NULL, NULL, probe_cb, attach_cb, NULL) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_probe() failed\n");
diff --git a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
index 71de1db5ea..9747886777 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
@@ -1531,7 +1531,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (g_no_pci) {
 		opts.no_pci = g_no_pci;
 	}
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		rc = -1;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 
 	g_tsc_rate = spdk_get_ticks_hz();
 
diff --git a/examples/nvme/reserve/reserve.c b/examples/nvme/reserve/reserve.c
index 23ab61294a..c0748060aa 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/reserve/reserve.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/reserve/reserve.c
@@ -359,7 +359,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "reserve";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	if (spdk_nvme_probe(NULL, NULL, probe_cb, attach_cb, NULL) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "spdk_nvme_probe() failed\n");
diff --git a/include/spdk/env.h b/include/spdk/env.h
index 86c133b61b..7cece1b1e4 100644
--- a/include/spdk/env.h
+++ b/include/spdk/env.h
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ void spdk_env_opts_init(struct spdk_env_opts *opts);
 /**
  * \brief Initialize the environment library. This must be called prior to using
  * any other functions in this library.
+ * \return 0 on success, or a negated errno value on failure.
  */
-void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts);
+int spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts);
 
 /**
  * Allocate a pinned, physically contiguous memory buffer with the
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/env_internal.h b/lib/env_dpdk/env_internal.h
index c5824632e4..72bebcc36c 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/env_internal.h
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/env_internal.h
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ int spdk_pci_enumerate(struct spdk_pci_enum_ctx *ctx, spdk_pci_enum_cb enum_cb,
 int spdk_pci_device_attach(struct spdk_pci_enum_ctx *ctx, spdk_pci_enum_cb enum_cb, void *enum_ctx,
 			   struct spdk_pci_addr *pci_address);
 
-void spdk_mem_map_init(void);
-void spdk_vtophys_init(void);
+int spdk_mem_map_init(void);
+int spdk_vtophys_init(void);
 
 /**
  * Increase the refcount of active DMA-capable devices managed by SPDK.
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/init.c b/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
index f8b8cf2eef..4f51a96693 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ spdk_free_args(char **args, int argcount)
 		free(args[i]);
 	}
 
-	free(args);
+	if (argcount) {
+		free(args);
+	}
 }
 
 static char **
@@ -149,6 +151,8 @@ spdk_push_arg(char *args[], int *argcount, char *arg)
 	char **tmp;
 
 	if (arg == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: NULL arg supplied\n", __func__);
+		spdk_free_args(args, *argcount);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -261,7 +265,7 @@ spdk_build_eal_cmdline(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 	return argcount;
 }
 
-void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
+int spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 {
 	char **dpdk_args = NULL;
 	int i, rc;
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 	rc = spdk_build_eal_cmdline(opts);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid arguments to initialize DPDK\n");
-		exit(-1);
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	printf("Starting %s initialization...\n", rte_version());
@@ -287,7 +291,7 @@ void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 	dpdk_args = calloc(eal_cmdline_argcount, sizeof(char *));
 	if (dpdk_args == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate dpdk_args\n");
-		exit(-1);
+		return -1;
 	}
 	memcpy(dpdk_args, eal_cmdline, sizeof(char *) * eal_cmdline_argcount);
 
@@ -301,7 +305,7 @@ void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to initialize DPDK\n");
-		exit(-1);
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (opts->shm_id < 0) {
@@ -314,6 +318,14 @@ void spdk_env_init(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 		spdk_env_unlink_shared_files();
 	}
 
-	spdk_mem_map_init();
-	spdk_vtophys_init();
+	if (spdk_mem_map_init() < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to allocate mem_map\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (spdk_vtophys_init() < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to initialize vtophys\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/memory.c b/lib/env_dpdk/memory.c
index 79a02d1af9..83351abed6 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/memory.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/memory.c
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ spdk_mem_map_translate(const struct spdk_mem_map *map, uint64_t vaddr)
 	return map_2mb->translation_2mb;
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_mem_map_init(void)
 {
 	struct rte_mem_config *mcfg;
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ spdk_mem_map_init(void)
 	g_mem_reg_map = spdk_mem_map_alloc(0, NULL, NULL);
 	if (g_mem_reg_map == NULL) {
 		DEBUG_PRINT("memory registration map allocation failed\n");
-		abort();
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -525,4 +525,5 @@ spdk_mem_map_init(void)
 
 		spdk_mem_register(seg->addr, seg->len);
 	}
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/vtophys.c b/lib/env_dpdk/vtophys.c
index 270af67769..bf5fd014a3 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/vtophys.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/vtophys.c
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ spdk_vtophys_put_ref(void)
 #endif
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_vtophys_init(void)
 {
 #if SPDK_VFIO_ENABLED
@@ -459,8 +459,9 @@ spdk_vtophys_init(void)
 	g_vtophys_map = spdk_mem_map_alloc(SPDK_VTOPHYS_ERROR, spdk_vtophys_notify, NULL);
 	if (g_vtophys_map == NULL) {
 		DEBUG_PRINT("vtophys map allocation failed\n");
-		abort();
+		return -1;
 	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
 uint64_t
diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index 56bd3db748..bb2a27ecb5 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -364,7 +364,11 @@ spdk_app_start(struct spdk_app_opts *opts, spdk_event_fn start_fn,
 	env_opts.mem_size = opts->mem_size;
 	env_opts.no_pci = opts->no_pci;
 
-	spdk_env_init(&env_opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&env_opts) < 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		spdk_conf_free(g_spdk_app.config);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
 
 	SPDK_NOTICELOG("Total cores available: %d\n", spdk_env_get_core_count());
 
diff --git a/test/lib/env/memory/memory_ut.c b/test/lib/env/memory/memory_ut.c
index a96c327f7f..f855944ce9 100644
--- a/test/lib/env/memory/memory_ut.c
+++ b/test/lib/env/memory/memory_ut.c
@@ -240,7 +240,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	g_page_array = spdk_bit_array_create(PAGE_ARRAY_SIZE);
 
 	/* Initialize the memory map */
-	spdk_mem_map_init();
+	if (spdk_mem_map_init() < 0) {
+		return CUE_NOMEMORY;
+	}
 
 	if (CU_initialize_registry() != CUE_SUCCESS) {
 		return CU_get_error();
diff --git a/test/lib/env/vtophys/vtophys.c b/test/lib/env/vtophys/vtophys.c
index b63250842b..27da3423bc 100644
--- a/test/lib/env/vtophys/vtophys.c
+++ b/test/lib/env/vtophys/vtophys.c
@@ -155,7 +155,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "vtophys";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		printf("Err: Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	rc = vtophys_negative_test();
 	if (rc < 0) {
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/aer/aer.c b/test/lib/nvme/aer/aer.c
index 8f6f9eb767..4fd2b1cb85 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/aer/aer.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/aer/aer.c
@@ -356,7 +356,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "aer";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	printf("Asynchronous Event Request test\n");
 
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/deallocated_value/deallocated_value.c b/test/lib/nvme/deallocated_value/deallocated_value.c
index 88a0889ef8..e1d1c9f6f1 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/deallocated_value/deallocated_value.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/deallocated_value/deallocated_value.c
@@ -421,7 +421,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "deallocate_test";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	printf("Initializing NVMe Controllers\n");
 
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/e2edp/nvme_dp.c b/test/lib/nvme/e2edp/nvme_dp.c
index da885c2698..3df0b34d6d 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/e2edp/nvme_dp.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/e2edp/nvme_dp.c
@@ -619,7 +619,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "nvme_dp";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	printf("NVMe Write/Read with End-to-End data protection test\n");
 
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/overhead/overhead.c b/test/lib/nvme/overhead/overhead.c
index 36c3c4ef1b..670faaa219 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/overhead/overhead.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/overhead/overhead.c
@@ -636,7 +636,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "overhead";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	g_task = spdk_dma_zmalloc(sizeof(struct perf_task), 0, NULL);
 	if (g_task == NULL) {
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/reset/reset.c b/test/lib/nvme/reset/reset.c
index a30b5302aa..75f2aecd70 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/reset/reset.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/reset/reset.c
@@ -634,7 +634,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "reset";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	task_pool = spdk_mempool_create("task_pool", TASK_POOL_NUM,
 					sizeof(struct reset_task),
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/sgl/sgl.c b/test/lib/nvme/sgl/sgl.c
index 6741d636a1..506b48f485 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/sgl/sgl.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/sgl/sgl.c
@@ -497,7 +497,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	opts.name = "nvme_sgl";
 	opts.core_mask = "0x1";
 	opts.shm_id = 0;
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts) < 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	printf("NVMe Readv/Writev Request test\n");
 
diff --git a/test/lib/util/histogram_perf/histogram_perf.c b/test/lib/util/histogram_perf/histogram_perf.c
index eeff617465..5d9de52745 100644
--- a/test/lib/util/histogram_perf/histogram_perf.c
+++ b/test/lib/util/histogram_perf/histogram_perf.c
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
-	spdk_env_init(&opts);
+	if (spdk_env_init(&opts)) {
+		printf("Err: Unable to initialize SPDK env\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < SPDK_COUNTOF(tsc); i++) {
 		tsc[i] = spdk_get_ticks();