diff --git a/sources/updater/update_metadata/src/error.rs b/sources/updater/update_metadata/src/error.rs
index 1225b0a0279..b486fe0f869 100644
--- a/sources/updater/update_metadata/src/error.rs
+++ b/sources/updater/update_metadata/src/error.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ pub enum Error {
         backtrace: Backtrace,
     },
 
-    #[snafu(display("Failed to read manifest file {}: {}", path.display(), source))]
+    #[snafu(display("Failed to read manifest file '{}' - do you need to `updata init`? ({})", path.display(), source))]
     ManifestRead {
         path: PathBuf,
         source: std::io::Error,
diff --git a/sources/updater/updog/src/bin/updata.rs b/sources/updater/updog/src/bin/updata.rs
index b1c0bad3c11..4d549983df2 100644
--- a/sources/updater/updog/src/bin/updata.rs
+++ b/sources/updater/updog/src/bin/updata.rs
@@ -59,11 +59,7 @@ struct AddUpdateArgs {
 
 impl AddUpdateArgs {
     fn run(self) -> Result<()> {
-        let mut manifest: Manifest = match update_metadata::load_file(&self.file) {
-            Ok(m) => m,
-            _ => Manifest::default(), // TODO only if EEXIST
-        };
-
+        let mut manifest: Manifest = update_metadata::load_file(&self.file)?;
         manifest.add_update(
             self.image_version,
             self.max_version,