diff --git a/libraries/SD/SD.cpp b/libraries/SD/SD.cpp
index 29b89c201..994473f40 100644
--- a/libraries/SD/SD.cpp
+++ b/libraries/SD/SD.cpp
@@ -319,21 +319,17 @@ boolean callback_remove(SdFile& parentDir, char *filePathComponent,
 
 
 
-void SDClass::begin(uint8_t csPin) {
+boolean SDClass::begin(uint8_t csPin) {
   /*
 
     Performs the initialisation required by the sdfatlib library.
 
-    Does not return if initialisation fails.
+    Return true if initialization succeeds, false otherwise.
 
    */
-  // TODO: Allow chip select pin to be supplied?
-  if (!(card.init(SPI_HALF_SPEED, csPin) 
-	&& volume.init(card) && root.openRoot(volume))) {
-    while (true) {
-      // Bail
-    }
-  }
+  return card.init(SPI_HALF_SPEED, csPin) &&
+         volume.init(card) &&
+         root.openRoot(volume);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/SD/SD.h b/libraries/SD/SD.h
index c1cdbfbb9..33d944adb 100644
--- a/libraries/SD/SD.h
+++ b/libraries/SD/SD.h
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 #include <utility/SdFat.h>
 #include <utility/SdFatUtil.h>
 
-// Use this to configure the chip select pin of the SD card.
-#define SD_CARD_CHIP_SELECT_PIN 4 // For use with Arduino Ethernet Shield
-
 class File : public Stream {
 public:
   virtual void write(uint8_t);
@@ -47,7 +44,7 @@ private:
 public:
   // This needs to be called to set up the connection to the SD card
   // before other methods are used.
-  void begin(uint8_t csPin = SD_CARD_CHIP_SELECT_PIN);
+  boolean begin(uint8_t csPin = SD_CHIP_SELECT_PIN);
   
   // Open the specified file/directory with the supplied mode (e.g. read or
   // write, etc). Returns a File object for interacting with the file.
diff --git a/libraries/SD/examples/Files/Files.pde b/libraries/SD/examples/Files/Files.pde
index dbcec71cf..b306793d4 100644
--- a/libraries/SD/examples/Files/Files.pde
+++ b/libraries/SD/examples/Files/Files.pde
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ void setup()
 {
   Serial.begin(9600);
   Serial.print("Initializing SD card...");
-  SD.begin();
+  // On the Ethernet Shield, CS is pin 4.
+  if (!SD.begin(4)) {
+    Serial.println("failed!");
+    return;
+  }
   Serial.println("done.");
   
   if (SD.exists("example.txt")) Serial.println("example.txt exists.");
diff --git a/libraries/SD/examples/ReadWrite/ReadWrite.pde b/libraries/SD/examples/ReadWrite/ReadWrite.pde
index 5b05c6762..1267dce00 100644
--- a/libraries/SD/examples/ReadWrite/ReadWrite.pde
+++ b/libraries/SD/examples/ReadWrite/ReadWrite.pde
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ void setup()
 {
   Serial.begin(9600);
   Serial.print("Initializing SD card...");
-  SD.begin();
+  // On the Ethernet Shield, CS is pin 4.
+  if (!SD.begin(4)) {
+    Serial.println("failed!");
+    return;
+  }
   Serial.println("done.");
   
   f = SD.open("test.txt", true, false);