diff --git a/src/main.v b/src/main.v
index c3c5ed9..59f6941 100644
--- a/src/main.v
+++ b/src/main.v
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ fn main() {
 
 	// This also creates the directories if needed
 	repo := repo.new(repo_dir, pkg_dir) or {
-		exit_with_message(1, 'Failed to create required directories.')
+        logger.error(err.msg)
+        exit(1)
 	}
 
 	os.mkdir_all(dl_dir) or { exit_with_message(1, 'Failed to create download directory.') }
diff --git a/src/repo/repo.v b/src/repo/repo.v
index ded30ba..1fdcc60 100644
--- a/src/repo/repo.v
+++ b/src/repo/repo.v
@@ -3,12 +3,6 @@ module repo
 import os
 import package
 
-// subpath where the uncompressed version of the files archive is stored
-const files_subpath = 'files'
-
-// subpath where the uncompressed version of the repo archive is stored
-const repo_subpath = 'repo'
-
 // Dummy struct to work around the fact that you can only share structs, maps &
 // arrays
 pub struct Dummy {
@@ -20,7 +14,7 @@ pub struct Repo {
 mut:
 	mutex shared Dummy
 pub:
-	// Where to store repository files; should exist
+	// Where to store repository files
 	repo_dir string [required]
 	// Where to find packages; packages are expected to all be in the same directory
 	pkg_dir string [required]
@@ -29,11 +23,11 @@ pub:
 // new creates a new Repo & creates the directories as needed
 pub fn new(repo_dir string, pkg_dir string) ?Repo {
 	if !os.is_dir(repo_dir) {
-		os.mkdir_all(repo_dir) or { return error('Failed to create repo directory.') }
+		os.mkdir_all(repo_dir) or { return error('Failed to create repo directory: $err.msg') }
 	}
 
 	if !os.is_dir(pkg_dir) {
-		os.mkdir_all(pkg_dir) or { return error('Failed to create package directory.') }
+		os.mkdir_all(pkg_dir) or { return error('Failed to create package directory: $err.msg') }
 	}
 
 	return Repo{