SDL2 not working in netbsd - "no available video device"

[billy_bazooka]

since my sdl2 programs run slow in openbsd, and blazing fast in slackware, i decided to try them on netbsd 7.1

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <SDL.h>

void die (char *msg)
{
  fprintf (stderr, "err: %s\n", msg);
  exit (0x0f);
}

int main (int ac, char **av)
{
  if (SDL_Init (SDL_INIT_VIDEO))
    die (SDL_GetError ());
  puts ("SDL init -> OK");
  return 0;
}

compile it with

gcc testing.c -o testing `sdl2-config --libs --cflags`

and when i start it i get

err: No available video device

i am missing something really obvious here.. why cant it find a video device?