diff --git a/_contrib/update_website.sh b/_contrib/update_website.sh
index 5ed1a902..bfeb390d 100644
--- a/_contrib/update_website.sh
+++ b/_contrib/update_website.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ DESTREPO=git@github.com:bitcoin/bitcoin.github.com.git
 WORKDIR=`mktemp -d`
 DESTDIR=`mktemp -d`
 
+# Stop script in case a single command fails
+set -e
+
+# Cleanup on EXIT (even when a command fails)
+trap "rm -rf $WORKDIR $DESTDIR; exit 1" EXIT
+
 export PATH=/var/lib/gems/1.8/bin/:$PATH
 
 git clone $REPO $WORKDIR        
@@ -35,5 +41,3 @@ git add .
 git commit -a -m "$COMMITMSG"
 git push origin master
 
-rm -rf $WORKDIR $DESTDIR
-