diff --git a/scripts/check-hydra-status.sh b/scripts/check-hydra-status.sh
index 5e2f03429..e62705e94 100644
--- a/scripts/check-hydra-status.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-hydra-status.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ curl -sS -H 'Accept: application/json' https://hydra.nixos.org/jobset/nix/master
 someBuildFailed=0
 
 for buildId in $BUILDS_FOR_LATEST_EVAL; do
-  buildInfo=$(curl -sS -H 'Accept: application/json' "https://hydra.nixos.org/build/$buildId")
+  buildInfo=$(curl --fail -sS -H 'Accept: application/json' "https://hydra.nixos.org/build/$buildId")
 
   finished=$(echo "$buildInfo" | jq -r '.finished')
 
diff --git a/scripts/install.in b/scripts/install.in
index 38d1fb36f..af5f71080 100755
--- a/scripts/install.in
+++ b/scripts/install.in
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ if [ "$(uname -s)" != "Darwin" ]; then
 fi
 
 if command -v curl > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-    fetch() { curl -L "$1" -o "$2"; }
+    fetch() { curl --fail -L "$1" -o "$2"; }
 elif command -v wget > /dev/null 2>&1; then
     fetch() { wget "$1" -O "$2"; }
 else