diff --git a/src/manifest.c b/src/manifest.c
index a31657657..bbab400a7 100644
--- a/src/manifest.c
+++ b/src/manifest.c
@@ -609,6 +609,11 @@ void remove_manifest_files(char *filename, int version, char *hash)
 	}
 }
 
+struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
+{
+	return load_mom_err(version, latest, mix_exists, NULL);
+}
+
 /* Loads the MoM (Manifest of Manifests) for VERSION.
  *
  * Implementation note: MoMs are not huge so deltas do not give much benefit,
@@ -618,9 +623,10 @@ void remove_manifest_files(char *filename, int version, char *hash)
  * getting the whole MoM and verifying it.
  *
  * Note that if the manifest fails to download, or if the manifest fails to be
- * loaded into memory, this function will return NULL.
+ * loaded into memory, this function will return NULL. If err is passed, it is set
+ * with the error code.
  */
-struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
+struct manifest *load_mom_err(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists, int *err)
 {
 	struct manifest *manifest = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
@@ -635,6 +641,9 @@ struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
 	ret = retrieve_manifests(version, version, "MoM", NULL, mix_exists);
 	if (ret != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to retrieve %d MoM manifest\n", version);
+		if (err) {
+			*err = ret;
+		}
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -647,7 +656,10 @@ struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
 			goto verify_mom;
 		}
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load %d MoM manifest\n", version);
-		goto out;
+		if (err) {
+			*err = EMANIFEST_LOAD;
+		}
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	string_or_die(&filename, "%s/%i/Manifest.MoM", state_dir, version);
@@ -671,6 +683,9 @@ struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
 			free_string(&filename);
 			free_string(&url);
 			free_manifest(manifest);
+			if (err) {
+				*err = ESIGNATURE;
+			}
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		fprintf(stderr, "FAILED TO VERIFY SIGNATURE OF Manifest.MoM. Operation proceeding due to\n"
@@ -698,9 +713,6 @@ struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists)
 	free_string(&filename);
 	free_string(&url);
 	return manifest;
-
-out:
-	return NULL;
 }
 
 /* Loads the MANIFEST for bundle associated with FILE at VERSION, referenced by
diff --git a/src/swupd.h b/src/swupd.h
index 24eb062b1..ee8b7dfb2 100644
--- a/src/swupd.h
+++ b/src/swupd.h
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ extern void apply_heuristics(struct file *file);
 
 extern int file_sort_filename(const void *a, const void *b);
 extern int file_sort_filename_reverse(const void *a, const void *b);
+extern struct manifest *load_mom_err(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists, int *err);
 extern struct manifest *load_mom(int version, bool latest, bool mix_exists);
 extern struct manifest *load_manifest(int current, int version, struct file *file, struct manifest *mom, bool header_only);
 extern struct manifest *load_manifest_full(int version, bool mix);
diff --git a/src/update.c b/src/update.c
index 4004a0e8f..7157fd892 100644
--- a/src/update.c
+++ b/src/update.c
@@ -423,15 +423,20 @@ static int main_update()
 load_server_mom:
 	grabtime_stop(&times); // Close step 2
 	grabtime_start(&times, "Recurse and Consolidate Manifests");
-	server_manifest = load_mom(server_version, true, mix_exists);
+	int server_manifest_err;
+	server_manifest = load_mom_err(server_version, true, mix_exists, &server_manifest_err);
 	if (!server_manifest) {
-		if (retries < MAX_TRIES) {
+		if (retries < MAX_TRIES && server_manifest_err != -ENET404) {
 			increment_retries(&retries, &timeout);
 			fprintf(stderr, "Retry #%d downloading server Manifests\n", retries);
 			goto load_server_mom;
 		}
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failure retrieving manifest from server\n");
-		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to load manifest after retrying (config or network problem?)\n");
+		if (server_manifest_err == -ENET404) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Version %d not available\n", server_version);
+		} else {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Unable to load manifest after retrying (config or network problem?)\n");
+		}
 		ret = EMOM_NOTFOUND;
 		goto clean_exit;
 	}