diff --git a/debmany/debmany b/debmany/debmany
index 2984a04..8855574 100755
--- a/debmany/debmany
+++ b/debmany/debmany
@@ -32,14 +32,20 @@
 # Version of debmany
 version=1.5
 
+errormsg()
+{
+  # show message
+  echo "ERROR: $*" >&2
+  if [ "$cmd" = "zenity" ]
+  then
+    $cmd --error --text="$*"
+  fi
+}
+
 error()
 {
   # show errorcode and quit
-  echo "ERROR: $*" >&2
-  if [ "$cmd" = "zenity" ]
-  then
-    $cmd --error --text="$*"
-  fi
+  errormsg $*
   exit 1
 }
 
@@ -243,11 +249,18 @@
 
   if [ -z "$file" ]
   then
-    debug "Mode3: Determining the path of '$package'" # comment
+    debug "Mode3: Determining the path of '$package' using 'apt-get -q2 --print-uris --reinstall install'" # comment
     aptdata=`apt-get -q2 --print-uris --reinstall install "$package" 2>/dev/null | grep "$package"_`
     if [ -z "$aptdata" ]
     then
-      error "There is no package called '$package'."
+      errormsg "There was an error looking for package '$package'."
+      apt-get -q2 --print-uris --reinstall install "dpkg"  2>&1 >/dev/null
+      if [ $? -eq 0 ] ; then
+        error "The package does not exist."
+      else
+        error "Apt-get might not be working properly Possible failure when running 'apt-get -q2 --print-uris --reinstall install \"$package\"'"
+      fi
+      # Note: We do not get here, error() exits before
       exit 1
     fi