diff --git a/kai/gitgud.lua b/kai/gitgud.lua
index 495cb1c..6bd7e80 100644
--- a/kai/gitgud.lua
+++ b/kai/gitgud.lua
@@ -18,19 +18,16 @@ fetch and exec file from repo
 if not http then error("http is not enabled") end
 
 local function get(url)
-    print("GET " .. url)
     local response, err = http.get(url)
     if not response then
-        printError(err)
-        return
+        return nil, err
     end
 
     local status, err = response.getResponseCode()
     if status ~= 200 then
-        printError(status .. " " .. err)
+        return nil, (status .. " " .. err)
         return
     end
-    print(status .. " " .. err)
 
     local result = response.readAll()
     response.close()
@@ -50,14 +47,19 @@ local function gitea_url(path)
 end
 
 local function download_file(repo_path, local_path)
-    local result = get(gitea_url(repo_path))
+    write("Downloading " .. repo_path .. " as " .. local_path .. "... ")
+    local result, err = get(gitea_url(repo_path))
     if not result then
-        error("download failed")
+        print()
+        printError(err)
+        return
     end
 
     local f = fs.open(local_path, "w")
     f.write(result)
     f.close()
+
+    print("OK")
 end
 
 -- keep track of downloaded files
@@ -79,11 +81,14 @@ end
 local args = {...}
 
 if #args == 0 then
+    print("Syncing " .. #storage .. " files.")
 
     for local_path, repo_path in pairs(storage) do
         download_file(repo_path, local_path)
     end
 
+    print("Done.")
+
 elseif args[1] == "sync" then
     local usage = "gitgud sync <repo path> <local path>"
     local repo_path = args[2] or error(usage)
@@ -114,9 +119,13 @@ elseif args[1] == "run" then
 
     repo_path = ensure_dotlua(repo_path)
 
-    local result = get(gitea_url(repo_path))
+    write("Downloading " .. repo_path .. "... ")
+    local result, err = get(gitea_url(repo_path))
     if not result then
-        error("download failed")
+        print()
+        printError(err)
+    else
+        print("OK")
     end
 
     local func, err = load(result, repo_path, "t", _ENV)