diff --git a/demon.go b/demon.go
index 05d9a39..54478dd 100644
--- a/demon.go
+++ b/demon.go
@@ -43,12 +43,11 @@ func filter(history []string, text string) []string {
 
 func listen(history []string, histfile string, persist bool, max int) {
 	for {
-
 		t, err := exec.Command("wl-paste", "-n", "-t", "text").CombinedOutput()
 		if err != nil {
 			// wl-paste exits 1 if there's no selection (e.g., when running it at OS startup)
 			if string(t) != "No selection\n" {
-				log.Printf("Error running wl-paste (demon.52): %s", t)
+				log.Printf("Error running wl-paste: %s", t)
 			}
 			time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 			continue
@@ -84,16 +83,15 @@ func listen(history []string, histfile string, persist bool, max int) {
 		history = append(history, text)
 
 		// dump history to file so that other apps can query it
-		err = write(history, histfile)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("Fatal error writing history (demon.83): %s", err)
+		if err := write(history, histfile); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("Fatal error writing history: %s", err)
 		}
 
 		if persist {
 			// make the copy buffer available to all applications,
 			// even when the source has disappeared
 			if err := exec.Command("wl-copy", []string{"--", text}...).Run(); err != nil {
-				log.Printf("Error running wl-copy (demon.91): %s", err)
+				log.Printf("Error running wl-copy: %s", err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index b814666..d622f42 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	"strings"
 
 	"gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2"
 )
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ var (
 	asDemon    = app.Flag("demon", "Run as a demon to record clipboard events").Short('d').Default("false").Bool()
 	asSelector = app.Flag("select", "Select an item from clipboard history").Short('s').Default("false").Bool()
 	noPersist  = app.Flag("no-persist", "Don't persist a copy buffer after a program exits").Short('P').Default("false").Bool()
-	max        = app.Flag("max-items", "items to store in history (with -d) or display before scrolling (with -s)").Default("15").Int()
+	max        = app.Flag("max-items", "history size (with -d) or scrollview length (with -s)").Default("15").Int()
 	tool       = app.Flag("selector", "Which selector to use: dmenu/rofi").Default("dmenu").String()
-	histpath   = app.Flag("histpath", "Directory where to save history").Default("$XDG_DATA_HOME").String()
+	histpath   = app.Flag("histpath", "Directory where to save history").Default("~/.local/share/clipman.json").String()
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -39,22 +39,24 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	histpath := *histpath
-	if histpath == "$XDG_DATA_HOME" {
+	// set histfile
+	histfile := *histpath
+	if strings.HasPrefix(histfile, "~") {
 		home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		histpath = path.Join(home, ".local/share/")
+		histfile = strings.Replace(histfile, "~", home, 1)
 	}
-	histfile := path.Join(histpath, "clipman.json")
 
+	// read existing history
 	var history []string
 	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(histfile)
-	if err == nil {
-		if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &history); err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("Failure unmarshaling history (main.38): %s", err)
-		}
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Failure reading history file: %s", err)
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &history); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Failure parsing history: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	if *asDemon {
diff --git a/selector.go b/selector.go
index 7d2af44..e93aed7 100644
--- a/selector.go
+++ b/selector.go
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ func dmenu(list []string, max int, tool string) (string, error) {
 
 	// dmenu will break if items contain newlines, so we must pass them as literals.
 	// however, when it sends them back, we need a way to restore them
+	var escaped []string
 	guide := make(map[string]string)
-	escaped := []string{}
 	for _, original := range list {
 		repr := fmt.Sprintf("%#v", original)