diff --git a/install_arch_solphyr.sh b/install_arch_solphyr.sh
index a1a9004..adc803a 100644
--- a/install_arch_solphyr.sh
+++ b/install_arch_solphyr.sh
@@ -20,23 +20,60 @@ NO_PROMPT=0
 source .env || true
 
 # ── Safe prompting helpers ─────────────────────────────────────
+# --- Safe prompting helpers ---
 prompt_var() {
-    local var_name="$1" prompt_text="$2"
-    local default_val; default_val="$(eval "echo \${$var_name:-}")"
-    if [[ "$NO_PROMPT" == "1" ]]; then info "Using $var_name=$default_val"; return; fi
+    local var_name="$1"
+    local prompt_text="$2"
+    local default_val
+    default_val="$(eval "echo \${$var_name:-}")"
+
+    if [[ "$NO_PROMPT" == "1" ]]; then
+        info "Using $var_name=$default_val"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    local input
+    # disable errexit for the read itself
+    set +e
     read -e -p "$prompt_text [${default_val}]: " input
-    [[ -n "$input" ]] && eval "$var_name=\"\$input\""
+    local rc=$?
+    set -e
+    [[ $rc -ne 0 ]] && die "Input cancelled"
+    if [[ -n "$input" ]]; then
+        eval "$var_name=\"\$input\""
+    fi
+    return 0
 }
+
 prompt_secret() {
-    local var_name="$1" prompt_text="$2"
-    local default_val; default_val="$(eval "echo \${$var_name:-}")"
-    if [[ -z "$default_val" ]]; then read -s -p "$prompt_text: " input; echo; eval "$var_name=\"\$input\""; else info "Using $var_name from .env"; fi
+    local var_name="$1"
+    local prompt_text="$2"
+    local default_val
+    default_val="$(eval "echo \${$var_name:-}")"
+    if [[ -z "$default_val" ]]; then
+        set +e
+        read -s -p "$prompt_text: " input
+        local rc=$?
+        set -e
+        echo
+        [[ $rc -ne 0 ]] && die "Input cancelled"
+        eval "$var_name=\"\$input\""
+    else
+        info "Using $var_name from .env"
+    fi
+    return 0
 }
+
 save_env() {
-    local var_name="$1" var_value; var_value="$(eval "echo \${$var_name}")"
-    sed -i "/^${var_name}=/d" .env; echo "${var_name}=\"${var_value}\"" >> .env
+    local var_name="$1"
+    local var_value
+    var_value="$(eval "echo \${$var_name}")"
+    sed -i "/^${var_name}=/d" .env
+    echo "${var_name}=\"${var_value}\"" >> .env
+    return 0
 }
 
+
 # ── Gather configuration ────────────────────────────────────────
 prompt_var HOSTNAME "Hostname"; prompt_var USERNAME "Username"
 prompt_var KEYMAP "Keymap"; prompt_var TIMEZONE "Timezone"; prompt_var LOCALE "Locale"