diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 14dede750..f107f89d3 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@
         </exec>
     </target>
     <target name="debianrepo" depends="debian">
-        <exec dir="debian" executable="./makerepo.sh" />
+        <exec dir="debian" executable="./makerepo.sh" failonerror="true"/>
     </target>
 
 <!-- the following are appened to help build barebone portable version, 
diff --git a/debian/makerepo.sh b/debian/makerepo.sh
index b324621a6..8363abf97 100755
--- a/debian/makerepo.sh
+++ b/debian/makerepo.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # This script creates a Debian repository in ${DIR} using the reprepro tool.
 # The packages are signed with the key referenced in the newest changelog entry.
-#
-# TODO: error handling
+
+set -e
 
 cd $(dirname $0)
 DIR=./repo