diff --git a/panelctl.sh b/panelctl.sh
index 14fe331..4619baf 100644
--- a/panelctl.sh
+++ b/panelctl.sh
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ cmd_render_route() {
 
 maybe_reload_caddy() {
   if [[ -x /run/current-system/sw/bin/caddy && -f /etc/caddy/Caddyfile ]]; then
-    /run/current-system/sw/bin/caddy validate --config /etc/caddy/Caddyfile --adapter caddyfile
+    /run/current-system/sw/bin/caddy validate --config /etc/caddy/Caddyfile --adapter caddyfile || echo "warning: caddy validation failed" >&2
   fi
 
   if [[ "${EUID}" -eq 0 ]]; then
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ cmd_deploy() {
   load_app "${name}"
 
   cmd_render_route "${name}"
-  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" up -d
+  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" up -d || fail "compose up failed"
   maybe_reload_caddy
 
   echo "deployed app '${name}'"
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ cmd_stop() {
   validate_name "${name}"
   load_app "${name}"
 
-  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" down
+  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" down || fail "compose down failed"
   echo "stopped app '${name}'"
 }
 
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ cmd_remove() {
   validate_name "${name}"
   load_app "${name}"
 
-  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" down || true
+  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" down 2>/dev/null || true
 
   # Remove this app's block from the aggregate routes file.
   if [[ -f "${APP_ROUTE_FILE}" ]]; then