diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 964127f..b3200f7 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ ubuntu-dev-tools (0.142) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     (LP: #888736)
   * backportpackage: Allow unsigned backports (LP: #992739)
   * update-maintainer: Add a function to restore the original maintainer.
+    - Update sponsor-patch to use the new API resulting from this change
+      (LP: #1002999)
   * submittodebian: Revert Ubuntu Maintainer mangling, and re-build the source
     package before diffing. (LP: #902233)
 
diff --git a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/sponsor_patch.py b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/sponsor_patch.py
index bc6cf1f..5e91b06 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/sponsor_patch.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/sponsor_patch.py
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ from distro_info import UbuntuDistroInfo
 from launchpadlib.launchpad import Launchpad
 
 from ubuntutools import subprocess
-from ubuntutools.update_maintainer import update_maintainer
+from ubuntutools.update_maintainer import (update_maintainer,
+                                           MaintainerUpdateException)
 from ubuntutools.question import input_number
 
 from ubuntutools.sponsor_patch.bugtask import BugTask, is_sync
@@ -239,8 +240,10 @@ def _create_and_change_into(workdir):
 def _update_maintainer_field():
     """Update the Maintainer field in debian/control."""
     Logger.command(["update-maintainer"])
-    if update_maintainer("debian", Logger.verbose) != 0:
-        Logger.error("update-maintainer script failed.")
+    try:
+        update_maintainer("debian", Logger.verbose)
+    except MaintainerUpdateException, e:
+        Logger.error("update-maintainer failed: %s", str(e))
         sys.exit(1)
 
 def _update_timestamp():