diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 503c7ab..613c148 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 //! use live_server::listen;
 //!
 //! async fn serve() {
-//!     listen("127.0.0.1", 8080, "./").await.unwrap();
+//!     listen("127.0.0.1", 8080, "./", true).await.unwrap();
 //! }
 //! ```
 //!
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ static TX: OnceCell<broadcast::Sender<()>> = OnceCell::const_new();
 /// use live_server::listen;
 ///
 /// async fn serve() {
-///     listen("127.0.0.1", 8080, "./").await.unwrap();
+///     listen("127.0.0.1", 8080, "./", true).await.unwrap();
 /// }
 /// ```
 pub async fn listen<R: Into<PathBuf>>(
     host: &str,
     port: u16,
     root: R,
+    try_to_switch_to_an_available_port: bool
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     HOST.set(host.to_string()).unwrap();
     ROOT.set(root.into()).unwrap();
@@ -45,9 +46,10 @@ pub async fn listen<R: Into<PathBuf>>(
     TX.set(tx).unwrap();
 
     let watcher_future = tokio::spawn(watcher::watch());
-    let server_future = tokio::spawn(server::serve(port));
+    let server_future = tokio::spawn(server::serve(port, try_to_switch_to_an_available_port));
 
-    tokio::try_join!(watcher_future, server_future)?;
+    let (_, server_result) = tokio::try_join!(watcher_future, server_future)?;
+    server_result?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 7660319..d27d9b9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -38,5 +38,5 @@ async fn main() {
         },
     };
 
-    listen(&host, args.port, args.root).await.unwrap();
+    listen(&host, args.port, args.root, true).await.unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/src/server.rs b/src/server.rs
index 1aea396..4eacbc0 100644
--- a/src/server.rs
+++ b/src/server.rs
@@ -13,13 +13,15 @@ use tokio::net::TcpListener;
 
 use crate::{HOST, PORT, ROOT, TX};
 
-pub async fn serve(port: u16) {
-    let listener = create_listener(port).await;
+pub async fn serve(port: u16, switch_to_available_ports: bool) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let listener = create_listener(port, switch_to_available_ports).await?;
     let app = create_server();
     axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+
+    Ok(())
 }
 
-async fn create_listener(port: u16) -> TcpListener {
+async fn create_listener(port: u16, switch_to_available_ports: bool) -> Result<TcpListener, String> {
     let host = HOST.get().unwrap();
     let mut port = port;
     // Loop until the port is available
@@ -28,12 +30,17 @@ async fn create_listener(port: u16) -> TcpListener {
             Ok(listener) => {
                 log::info!("Listening on http://{}:{}/", host, port);
                 PORT.set(port).unwrap();
-                break listener;
+                break Ok(listener);
             }
             Err(err) => {
                 if let std::io::ErrorKind::AddrInUse = err.kind() {
-                    log::warn!("Port {} is already in use", port);
-                    port += 1;
+                    if switch_to_available_ports {
+                        log::warn!("Port {} is already in use", port);
+                        port += 1;
+                    } else {
+                        log::error!("Port {} is already in use", port);
+                        return Err(format!("Port {} is already in use", port));
+                    }
                 } else {
                     log::error!("Failed to listen on {}:{}: {}", host, port, err);
                 }
diff --git a/tests/test.rs b/tests/test.rs
index 494111b..881da9f 100644
--- a/tests/test.rs
+++ b/tests/test.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use reqwest::StatusCode;
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn request() {
     tokio::spawn(async {
-        listen("127.0.0.1", 8000, "./tests/page").await.unwrap();
+        listen("127.0.0.1", 8000, "./tests/page", false).await.unwrap();
     });
 
     // Test requesting index.html