diff --git a/mpbb-install-dependencies b/mpbb-install-dependencies
index ac8fb92..2f955a5 100644
--- a/mpbb-install-dependencies
+++ b/mpbb-install-dependencies
@@ -113,6 +113,16 @@ install-dependencies() {
             echo "[OK]" >> "$log_status_dependencies"
             dependencies_counter=$((dependencies_counter + 1))
         else
+            # $deprequestedvariants isn't quoted on purpose
+            # shellcheck disable=SC2154,SC2086
+            if ! "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -d fetch "$depname" $deprequestedvariants; then
+                echo "Fetch of dependency '${depname}' with variants '${deprequestedvariants}' failed, aborting." >&2
+                echo "[FAIL] (fetch)" >> "$log_status_dependencies"
+                echo "Building '$port' ... [ERROR] (failed to fetch dependency '${depname}') maintainers: $(get-maintainers "$port" "${depname}")." >> "$log_subports_progress"
+                # Do not add to failcache. This could be a temporary problem that will
+                # be resolved once the file appears on mirrors.
+                return 1
+            fi
             # $deprequestedvariants isn't quoted on purpose
             # shellcheck disable=SC2154,SC2086
             if ! "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -dn install --unrequested "$depname" $deprequestedvariants; then
diff --git a/mpbb-install-port b/mpbb-install-port
index 8fc0b72..9f51a26 100644
--- a/mpbb-install-port
+++ b/mpbb-install-port
@@ -50,6 +50,16 @@ install-port() {
     time_start=$(date +%s)
     # $option_prefix is set in mpbb
     # shellcheck disable=SC2154
+    if ! "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -dk fetch "$@"; then
+        echo "Fetch of '$port' failed."
+        # log: summary for the portwatcher
+        echo "Fetching '$port' ... [ERROR] maintainers: $(get-maintainers "$port")." >> "$log_subports_progress"
+        # Do not add to failcache. This could be a temporary problem that will
+        # be resolved once the file appears on mirrors.
+        return 1
+    fi
+    # $option_prefix is set in mpbb
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2154
     if "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -dkn install "$@"; then
         # Remove failcache if it exists
         failcache_success "$@"