diff --git a/build b/build
index a02a2905342027c917e58bdaa33e705acf60de07..11d823e396f8d0e2e4978700a72426fdd3373749 100755
--- a/build
+++ b/build
@@ -85,9 +85,15 @@ dch -r -D $dist ""
 basetgz=/var/cache/pbuilder/base-$builddist.tgz
 if [ ! -f $basetgz ]
 then
-	sudo pbuilder create --distribution $builddist --basetgz $basetgz --othermirror "deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security $builddist/updates main"
+	if ! sudo pbuilder create --distribution $builddist --basetgz $basetgz --othermirror "deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security $builddist/updates main" ; then
+		echo "couldn't create chroot"
+		exit 1
+	fi
 else
-	sudo pbuilder update --basetgz $basetgz
+	if ! sudo pbuilder update --basetgz $basetgz ; then
+		echo "couldn't update chroot"
+		exit 1
+	fi
 fi
 
 DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS="nocheck noddebs parallel=64" pdebuild --debbuildopts -B -- --basetgz "$basetgz"