diff --git a/backportpackage b/backportpackage
index 3d8ae58..4a1219e 100755
--- a/backportpackage
+++ b/backportpackage
@@ -205,8 +205,7 @@ def do_build(workdir, package, release, bp_version, builder, update):
 
     if update:
         if 0 != builder.update(release):
-            error('Failed to update %s chroot for %s.' % \
-                  (release, builder.get_name()))
+            sys.exit(1)
 
     return builder.build(os.path.join(workdir,
                                       '%s_%s.dsc' % (package, bp_version)),
@@ -248,7 +247,7 @@ def do_backport(workdir, package, dscfile, version, suffix, release, build,
 
     if build:
         if 0 != do_build(workdir, package, release, bp_version, builder, update):
-            error('Package failed to build; aborting')
+            sys.exit(1)
     if upload:
         do_upload(workdir, package, bp_version, upload, prompt)
 
diff --git a/ubuntutools/builder.py b/ubuntutools/builder.py
index ca04473..dab6fea 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/builder.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/builder.py
@@ -35,12 +35,24 @@ class Builder(object):
         if not os.path.isdir(result_directory):
             os.makedirs(result_directory)
 
+    def build_failure(self, returncode, dsc_file):
+        if returncode != 0:
+            Logger.error("Failed to build %s from source with %s." % \
+                         (os.path.basename(dsc_file), self.name))
+        return returncode
+
     def get_architecture(self):
         return self.architecture
 
     def get_name(self):
         return self.name
 
+    def update_failure(self, returncode, dist):
+        if returncode != 0:
+            Logger.error("Failed to update %s chroot for %s." % \
+                         (dist, self.name))
+        return returncode
+
 
 class Pbuilder(Builder):
     def __init__(self):
@@ -53,13 +65,15 @@ class Pbuilder(Builder):
                "--distribution", dist, "--architecture", self.architecture,
                "--buildresult", result_directory, dsc_file]
         Logger.command(cmd)
-        return subprocess.call(cmd)
+        returncode = subprocess.call(cmd)
+        return self.build_failure(returncode, dsc_file)
 
     def update(self, dist):
         cmd = ["sudo", "-E", "DIST=" + dist, "pbuilder", "--update",
                "--distribution", dist, "--architecture", self.architecture]
         Logger.command(cmd)
-        return subprocess.call(cmd)
+        returncode = subprocess.call(cmd)
+        return self.update_failure(returncode, dist)
 
 
 class Pbuilderdist(Builder):
@@ -71,12 +85,14 @@ class Pbuilderdist(Builder):
         cmd = ["pbuilder-dist", dist, self.architecture,
                "build", dsc_file, "--buildresult", result_directory]
         Logger.command(cmd)
-        return subprocess.call(cmd)
+        returncode = subprocess.call(cmd)
+        return self.build_failure(returncode, dsc_file)
 
     def update(self, dist):
         cmd = ["pbuilder-dist", dist, self.architecture, "update"]
         Logger.command(cmd)
-        return subprocess.call(cmd)
+        returncode = subprocess.call(cmd)
+        return self.update_failure(returncode, dist)
 
 
 class Sbuild(Builder):
@@ -91,10 +107,10 @@ class Sbuild(Builder):
         cmd = ["sbuild", "--arch-all", "--dist=" + dist,
                "--arch=" + self.architecture, dsc_file]
         Logger.command(cmd)
-        result = subprocess.call(cmd)
+        returncode = subprocess.call(cmd)
         Logger.command(["cd", workdir])
         os.chdir(workdir)
-        return result
+        return self.build_failure(returncode, dsc_file)
 
     def update(self, dist):
         cmd = ["schroot", "--list"]
@@ -124,7 +140,8 @@ class Sbuild(Builder):
             Logger.command(cmd + [chroot])
             ret = subprocess.call(cmd + [chroot])
             if ret != 0:
-                return ret
+                return self.update_failure(ret, dist)
+        return 0
 
 
 def getBuilder(builder=None):
diff --git a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/main.py b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/main.py
index 6e6cc11..dce1477 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/main.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/main.py
@@ -403,8 +403,6 @@ def main(bug_number, update, build, edit, keyid, upload, workdir, builder,
                 if update:
                     ret = builder.update(dist)
                     if ret != 0:
-                        Logger.error("Failed to update %s chroot for %s." % \
-                                     (dist, builder.get_name()))
                         ask_for_manual_fixing()
                         break
                     # We want to update the build environment only once, but not
@@ -414,9 +412,6 @@ def main(bug_number, update, build, edit, keyid, upload, workdir, builder,
                 # build package
                 result = builder.build(new_dsc_file, dist, buildresult)
                 if result != 0:
-                    Logger.error("Failed to build %s from source with %s." % \
-                                (os.path.basename(new_dsc_file),
-                                 builder.get_name()))
                     question = Question(["yes", "update", "retry", "no"])
                     answer =  question.ask("Do you want to resolve this issue "
                                            "manually", "yes")