diff --git a/debian/bin/abiupdate.py b/debian/bin/abiupdate.py
index cbe305ab8..3ce03eab1 100755
--- a/debian/bin/abiupdate.py
+++ b/debian/bin/abiupdate.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import sys
 sys.path.append(sys.path[0] + "/../lib/python")
 
 import optparse, os, shutil, tempfile, urllib2
-from debian_linux.abi import *
+from debian_linux.abi import Symbols
 from debian_linux.config import *
 from debian_linux.debian import *
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class main(object):
         f = self.retrieve_package(self.url, filename)
         d = self.extract_package(f, "linux-headers-%s_%s" % (prefix, arch))
         f1 = d + "/usr/src/linux-headers-%s-%s/Module.symvers" % (self.version_abi, prefix)
-        s = symbols(f1)
+        s = Symbols(f1)
         shutil.rmtree(d)
         return s
 
@@ -92,7 +92,12 @@ class main(object):
     def retrieve_package(self, url, filename):
         u = url(self.source, filename)
         filename_out = self.dir + "/" + filename
-        f_in = urllib2.urlopen(u)
+
+        try:
+            f_in = urllib2.urlopen(u)
+        except urllib2.HTTPError, e:
+            raise RuntimeError('Failed to retrieve %s: %s' % (e.filename, e))
+
         f_out = file(filename_out, 'w')
         while 1:
             r = f_in.read()
@@ -106,7 +111,7 @@ class main(object):
         if not os.path.exists(dir):
             os.makedirs(dir)
         out = "%s/%s_%s_%s" % (dir, arch, featureset, flavour)
-        symbols.write(file(out, 'w'))
+        Symbols.write(file(out, 'w'))
 
     def update_arch(self, config, arch):
         if self.override_featureset:
@@ -145,10 +150,7 @@ class main(object):
             abi = self.get_abi(arch, localversion)
             self.save_abi(abi, arch, featureset, flavour)
             self.log("Ok.\n")
-        except KeyboardInterrupt:
-            self.log("Interrupted!\n")
-            sys.exit(1)
-        except Exception, e:
+        except StandardError, e:
             self.log("FAILED! (%s)\n" % str(e))
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':