diff --git a/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.h b/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.h
index a558a9e5a..cee1848fb 100644
--- a/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.h
+++ b/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ class AppPlatform_iOS : public AppPlatform
 	
 	// Also add these to allow saving options.
 	bool hasFileSystemAccess() override;
+
+	void showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg) override;
 private:
 	Logger* m_pLogger;
 	SoundSystem* m_pSoundSystem;
diff --git a/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.mm b/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.mm
index fe1e0b233..d780029be 100644
--- a/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.mm
+++ b/platforms/ios/AppPlatform_iOS.mm
@@ -177,3 +177,32 @@
     
     return [assetPath UTF8String];
 }
+
+void AppPlatform_iOS::showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg)
+{
+	NSString *title;
+	switch(msg.type)
+	{
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_ERROR:
+			title = @"Error";
+			break;
+		default:
+			LOG_W("Unhandled MessageModal type");
+			// fall through
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_INFO:
+			title = @"Info";
+			break;
+	}
+
+	// this doesn't block the thread, it should
+	UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc]
+		initWithTitle:title
+		message:[NSString stringWithCString:msg.text.c_str()
+		encoding:[NSString defaultCStringEncoding]]
+		delegate:nil
+		cancelButtonTitle:@"OK"
+		otherButtonTitles:nil
+	];
+	[alert show];
+	[alert release];
+}
diff --git a/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.cpp b/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.cpp
index 04817df7f..078b456b5 100644
--- a/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.cpp
+++ b/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.cpp
@@ -192,3 +192,27 @@ bool AppPlatform_sdl2::GetMouseButtonState(const SDL_Event& event)
 
 	return result;
 }
+
+// this segfaults on wsl, why?
+void AppPlatform_sdl2::showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg)
+{
+	const char *title;
+	Uint32 flags = 0;
+
+	switch (msg.type)
+	{
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_ERROR:
+			title = "Error";
+			flags = SDL_MESSAGEBOX_ERROR;
+			break;
+		default:
+			LOG_W("Unhandled MessageModal type");
+			// fall through
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_INFO:
+			title = "Info";
+			flags = SDL_MESSAGEBOX_INFORMATION;
+			break;
+	}
+
+	SDL_ShowSimpleMessageBox(flags, title, msg.text.c_str(), nullptr);
+}
diff --git a/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.hpp b/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.hpp
index 7463f0198..fad671817 100644
--- a/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.hpp
+++ b/platforms/sdl/sdl2/base/AppPlatform_sdl2.hpp
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ class AppPlatform_sdl2 : public AppPlatform_sdl
 	void gameControllerAdded(int32_t index);
 	void gameControllerRemoved(int32_t index);
 
+	void showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg) override;
+
 public:
 	static bool GetMouseButtonState(const SDL_Event& event);
 
diff --git a/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.cpp b/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.cpp
index f54c64812..0ef527f9c 100644
--- a/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.cpp
+++ b/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.cpp
@@ -570,3 +570,26 @@ Keyboard::KeyState AppPlatform_win32::GetKeyState(UINT iMsg)
 		return Keyboard::KeyState::DOWN;
 	}
 }
+
+void AppPlatform_win32::showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg)
+{
+	const char *title;
+	uint32_t flags = 0;
+
+	switch (msg.type)
+	{
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_ERROR:
+			title = "Error";
+			flags = MB_ICONERROR;
+			break;
+		default:
+			LOG_W("Unhandled MessageModal type");
+			// fall through
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_INFO:
+			title = "Info";
+			flags = MB_ICONINFORMATION;
+			break;
+	}
+
+	MessageBoxA(NULL, msg.text.c_str(), title, flags);
+}
diff --git a/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.hpp b/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.hpp
index 1dc3bb7e0..d85babf8f 100644
--- a/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.hpp
+++ b/platforms/windows/AppPlatform_win32.hpp
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ class AppPlatform_win32 : public AppPlatform
 	static bool GetMouseButtonState(UINT iMsg, WPARAM wParam);
 	static Keyboard::KeyState GetKeyState(UINT iMsg);
 
+	void showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg) override;
+
 private:
 	HICON m_cursor;
 
diff --git a/source/client/app/AppPlatform.cpp b/source/client/app/AppPlatform.cpp
index 0df9f4b57..a955de0c6 100644
--- a/source/client/app/AppPlatform.cpp
+++ b/source/client/app/AppPlatform.cpp
@@ -403,3 +403,22 @@ void AppPlatform::beginProfileDataWrite(unsigned int playerId)
 void AppPlatform::endProfileDataWrite(unsigned int playerId)
 {
 }
+
+void AppPlatform::showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg)
+{
+	FILE *stream;
+	switch(msg.type)
+	{
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_ERROR:
+			stream = stderr;
+			break;
+		default:
+			LOG_W("Unhandled MessageModal type");
+			// fall through
+		case MessageModal::TYPE_INFO:
+			stream = stdout;
+			break;
+	}
+
+	fputs(msg.text.c_str(), stream);
+}
diff --git a/source/client/app/AppPlatform.hpp b/source/client/app/AppPlatform.hpp
index 812224880..938437fc0 100644
--- a/source/client/app/AppPlatform.hpp
+++ b/source/client/app/AppPlatform.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,25 @@
 #define C_HOME_PATH "/games/com.mojang/"
 #define C_MAX_LOCAL_PLAYERS 4
 
+struct MessageModal
+{
+	enum Type
+	{
+		TYPE_INFO,
+		TYPE_ERROR
+	};
+
+	Type type;
+	std::string text;
+
+	MessageModal(Type type, const std::string& text)
+		: type(type)
+		, text(text)
+	{
+	}
+};
+
+
 class GameControllerHandler;
 class AppPlatformListener;
 
@@ -135,6 +154,8 @@ class AppPlatform
 	virtual void beginProfileDataWrite(unsigned int playerId);
 	virtual void endProfileDataWrite(unsigned int playerId);
 
+	virtual void showMessageModal(const MessageModal& msg);
+
 public:
 	ListenerMap m_listeners;
 	std::string m_externalStorageDir;
diff --git a/source/client/gui/screens/CreditsScreen.cpp b/source/client/gui/screens/CreditsScreen.cpp
index 7267ac130..60c4287dd 100644
--- a/source/client/gui/screens/CreditsScreen.cpp
+++ b/source/client/gui/screens/CreditsScreen.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ void CreditsScreen::_initCreditsText()
 	{
 		m_credits.push_back("Failed to load credits.txt");
 	}
+
+	// for testing only, should not make it into master, remove if found
+	AppPlatform::singleton()->showMessageModal(MessageModal(MessageModal::TYPE_INFO, "death"));
 }
 
 void CreditsScreen::init()