diff --git a/updater/install.c b/updater/install.c
index c087d4e..7b7bfc9 100644
--- a/updater/install.c
+++ b/updater/install.c
@@ -450,21 +450,27 @@
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    int bad = 0;
     int i;
     for (i = 0; i < argc-1; ++i) {
         if (unlink(srcs[i]) < 0) {
             if (errno != ENOENT) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "%s: failed to remove %s: %s\n",
                         name, srcs[i], strerror(errno));
+                ++bad;
             }
         }
         if (symlink(target, srcs[i]) < 0) {
             fprintf(stderr, "%s: failed to symlink %s to %s: %s\n",
                     name, srcs[i], target, strerror(errno));
+            ++bad;
         }
         free(srcs[i]);
     }
     free(srcs);
+    if (bad) {
+        return ErrorAbort(state, "%s: some symlinks failed", name);
+    }
     return StringValue(strdup(""));
 }
 
@@ -483,6 +489,7 @@
 
     char* end;
     int i;
+    int bad = 0;
 
     int uid = strtoul(args[0], &end, 0);
     if (*end != '\0' || args[0][0] == 0) {
@@ -524,10 +531,12 @@
             if (chown(args[i], uid, gid) < 0) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "%s: chown of %s to %d %d failed: %s\n",
                         name, args[i], uid, gid, strerror(errno));
+                ++bad;
             }
             if (chmod(args[i], mode) < 0) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "%s: chmod of %s to %o failed: %s\n",
                         name, args[i], mode, strerror(errno));
+                ++bad;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -539,6 +548,10 @@
     }
     free(args);
 
+    if (bad) {
+        free(result);
+        return ErrorAbort(state, "%s: some changes failed", name);
+    }
     return StringValue(result);
 }