diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index 595a35a..b2658d8 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -406,9 +406,13 @@
         else:
           print >>sys.stderr, 'error: %s' % manifest_str
           sys.exit(1)
-      except socket.error:
-        print >>sys.stderr, 'error: cannot connect to manifest server %s' % (
-            self.manifest.manifest_server)
+      except (socket.error, IOError, xmlrpclib.Fault), e:
+        print >>sys.stderr, 'error: cannot connect to manifest server %s:\n%s' % (
+            self.manifest.manifest_server, e)
+        sys.exit(1)
+      except xmlrpclib.ProtocolError, e:
+        print >>sys.stderr, 'error: cannot connect to manifest server %s:\n%d %s' % (
+            self.manifest.manifest_server, e.errcode, e.errmsg)
         sys.exit(1)
 
     rp = self.manifest.repoProject