diff --git a/doc/handbook/build-handbook.sh b/doc/handbook/build-handbook.sh
index 98c5d2a8f..1689689be 100755
--- a/doc/handbook/build-handbook.sh
+++ b/doc/handbook/build-handbook.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 
-# this script build the eWoms handbook from its LaTeX sources. The
+# this script builds the eWoms handbook from its LaTeX sources. The
 # result file is called "ewoms-handbook.pdf"
 
-latex ewoms-handbook
-bibtex ewoms-handbook
-latex ewoms-handbook
-latex ewoms-handbook
-dvipdf ewoms-handbook
+latex ewoms-handbook || exit $?
+bibtex ewoms-handbook || exit $?
+latex ewoms-handbook || exit $?
+latex ewoms-handbook || exit $?
+dvipdf ewoms-handbook || exit $?
 rm ewoms-handbook.dvi