@@ -340,10 +340,21 @@
 			return -code error "Invalid signature or certificate from $hostname"
 		}
 
 		set file [download $hostname $indexhash]
-		set fd [open $file]
-		set data [read $fd]
+		catch {
+			set fd [open $file]
+		}
+
+		if {![info exists fd]} {
+			return -code error "Unable to download or open $file"
+		}
+
+		unset -nocomplain data
+		catch {
+			set data [read $fd]
+		}
+
 		close $fd
 
 		set curr_packages [list]
 		foreach line [split $data "\n"] {
@@ -423,10 +434,21 @@
 			return FAIL
 		}
 
 		set file [download $hostname $package_sha1]
-		set fd [open $file]
-		set pkgdata [read $fd]
+
+		catch {
+			set fd [open $file]
+		}
+
+		if {![info exists fd]} {
+			return -code error "Unable to download or open $file"
+		}
+
+		catch {
+			set pkgdata [read $fd]
+		}
+
 		close $fd
 
 		db transaction {
 			foreach line [split $pkgdata "\n"] {