diff --git a/buildconf b/buildconf
index e8baeee10..b6ec7e2d5 100755
--- a/buildconf
+++ b/buildconf
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-automake Makefile
-aclocal
-autoheader
-autoconf
+die(){
+	echo "$@"
+	exit
+}
+
+automake Makefile || die "The command 'automake Makefile' failed"
+aclocal           || die "The command 'aclocal' failed"
+autoheader        || die "The command 'autoheader' failed"
+autoconf          || die "The command 'autoconf' failed"
diff --git a/reconf b/reconf
index fb48aa3e8..39405b006 100755
--- a/reconf
+++ b/reconf
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ die(){
 	echo "$@" ; exit
 }
 
-aclocal -I .	|| die "ahhhhh"
-autoheader	|| die "ahhhhh"
-automake	|| die "ahhhhh"
-autoconf	|| die "ahhhhh"
+aclocal -I . || die "The command 'aclocal -I .' failed"
+autoheader   || die "The command 'autoheader' failed"
+automake     || die "The command 'automake' failed"
+autoconf     || die "The command 'autoconf' failed"