diff --git a/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh b/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
index 9606eaa0..1546cc5e 100644
--- a/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
+++ b/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ function _user_required {
   local trustdb
   trustdb=$(_get_secrets_dir_keys_trustdb)
 
-  local error_message="no users found. run 'git secret tell'."
+  local error_message="no permitted users found. run 'git secret tell email@address'."
   if [[ ! -f "$trustdb" ]]; then
     _abort "$error_message"
   fi
@@ -548,6 +548,10 @@ function _user_required {
 
   local keys_exist
   keys_exist=$($gpg_local -n --list-keys)
+  local exit_code=$?
+  if [[ exit_code -ne 0 ]]; then
+    _abort "unable to list public keys in gpg: exit code $exit_code"
+  fi
   if [[ -z "$keys_exist" ]]; then
     _abort "$error_message"
   fi
diff --git a/src/commands/git_secret_reveal.sh b/src/commands/git_secret_reveal.sh
index 82e04f9d..633e14eb 100644
--- a/src/commands/git_secret_reveal.sh
+++ b/src/commands/git_secret_reveal.sh
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function reveal {
     _decrypt "$path" "1" "$force" "$homedir" "$passphrase"
 
     if [[ ! -f "$path" ]]; then
-        _abort "cannot find decrypted version of file: $filename"
+      _abort "cannot find decrypted version of file: $filename"
     fi
 
     counter=$((counter+1))