diff --git a/cmd/fluxctl/release_cmd.go b/cmd/fluxctl/release_cmd.go
index 855a25803..1509eec47 100644
--- a/cmd/fluxctl/release_cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/fluxctl/release_cmd.go
@@ -172,6 +172,10 @@ func (opts *controllerReleaseOpts) RunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error
 			Cause: opts.cause,
 			Spec:  spec,
 		})
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStderr(), err.Error())
+			return nil
+		}
 
 		opts.dryRun = false
 	}
diff --git a/daemon/daemon.go b/daemon/daemon.go
index 840af3a93..b2180ab6b 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api/v10"
+	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api/v11"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api/v6"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api/v9"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/cluster"
@@ -27,7 +28,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/release"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/resource"
 	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/update"
-	"github.com/weaveworks/flux/api/v11"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -175,12 +175,18 @@ func (d *Daemon) ListImagesWithOptions(ctx context.Context, opts v10.ListImagesO
 	var err error
 	if opts.Spec == update.ResourceSpecAll {
 		services, err = d.Cluster.AllControllers("")
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting all controllers")
+		}
 	} else {
 		id, err := opts.Spec.AsID()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "treating service spec as ID")
 		}
 		services, err = d.Cluster.SomeControllers([]flux.ResourceID{id})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "getting some controllers")
+		}
 	}
 
 	resources, _, err := d.getResources(ctx)
diff --git a/git/operations_test.go b/git/operations_test.go
index 7abc6fa07..b1c31d4bf 100644
--- a/git/operations_test.go
+++ b/git/operations_test.go
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ func TestOnelinelog_WithGitpath(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckPush(t *testing.T) {
 	upstreamDir, upstreamCleanup := testfiles.TempDir(t)
 	defer upstreamCleanup()
-	err := createRepo(upstreamDir, []string{"config"})
+	if err := createRepo(upstreamDir, []string{"config"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
 	cloneDir, cloneCleanup := testfiles.TempDir(t)
 	defer cloneCleanup()
diff --git a/remote/rpc/compat.go b/remote/rpc/compat.go
index 6d1797f43..70b6f4b8e 100644
--- a/remote/rpc/compat.go
+++ b/remote/rpc/compat.go
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ func listImagesWithOptions(ctx context.Context, client listImagesWithoutOptionsC
 		ns, _, _ = resourceID.Components()
 	}
 	services, err := client.ListServices(ctx, ns)
+	if err != nil {
+		return statuses, err
+	}
 
 	policyMap := map[flux.ResourceID]map[string]string{}
 	for _, service := range services {