diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/admin.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/admin.rs
index 55215bf..7315900 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/admin.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/admin.rs
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ pub fn admin(
     let mut open: Card<Open> = backend.into();
     let mut card = open.transaction()?;
 
-    let admin_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN);
+    let admin_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN)?;
 
     match command.cmd {
         AdminSubCommand::Name { name } => {
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ fn generate_command(
 
     cmd: AdminGenerateCommand,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, cmd.user_pin, ENTER_USER_PIN);
+    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, cmd.user_pin, ENTER_USER_PIN)?;
 
     let mut output = output::AdminGenerate::default();
     output.ident(card.application_identifier()?.ident());
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/attestation.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/attestation.rs
index 8e0b76d..02801bd 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/attestation.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/attestation.rs
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ fn generate(
     let mut open: Card<Open> = backend.into();
     let mut card = open.transaction()?;
 
-    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, user_pin, ENTER_USER_PIN);
+    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, user_pin, ENTER_USER_PIN)?;
 
     let mut sign = util::verify_to_sign(&mut card, user_pin.as_deref())?;
 
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/decrypt.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/decrypt.rs
index 830809c..ffdb98b 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/decrypt.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/decrypt.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub fn decrypt(command: DecryptCommand) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>
         return Err(anyhow!("Can't decrypt: this card has no key in the decryption slot.").into());
     }
 
-    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.pin_file, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN);
+    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.pin_file, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN)?;
 
     let mut user = util::verify_to_user(&mut card, user_pin.as_deref())?;
     let d = user.decryptor(&|| println!("Touch confirmation needed for decryption"))?;
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pin.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pin.rs
index 94139c8..650f662 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pin.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pin.rs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ fn set_user(
 
     let res = if !pinpad_modify {
         // get current user pin
-        let user_pin1 = util::get_pin(&mut card, user_pin_old, ENTER_USER_PIN)
+        let user_pin1 = util::get_pin(&mut card, user_pin_old, ENTER_USER_PIN)?
             .expect("this should never be None");
 
         // verify pin
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ fn set_admin(
 
     if !pinpad_modify {
         // get current admin pin
-        let admin_pin1 = util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin_old, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN)
+        let admin_pin1 = util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin_old, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN)?
             .expect("this should never be None");
 
         // verify pin
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ fn reset_user(
     mut card: Card<Transaction>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     // verify admin pin
-    match util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN) {
+    match util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN)? {
         Some(admin_pin) => {
             // verify pin
             card.verify_admin(&admin_pin)?;
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ fn set_reset(
     mut card: Card<Transaction>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     // verify admin pin
-    match util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN) {
+    match util::get_pin(&mut card, admin_pin, ENTER_ADMIN_PIN)? {
         Some(admin_pin) => {
             // verify pin
             card.verify_admin(&admin_pin)?;
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pubkey.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pubkey.rs
index 2dcfbb8..c8f7708 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pubkey.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/pubkey.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ pub fn print_pubkey(
     let ident = card.application_identifier()?.ident();
     output.ident(ident);
 
-    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.user_pin, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN);
+    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, command.user_pin, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN)?;
 
     let pkm = card.public_key(KeyType::Signing)?;
     let times = card.key_generation_times()?;
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/sign.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/sign.rs
index e00e9c1..901cf0f 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/sign.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/commands/sign.rs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ pub fn sign_detached(
         return Err(anyhow!("Can't sign: this card has no key in the signing slot.").into());
     }
 
-    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, pin_file, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN);
+    let user_pin = util::get_pin(&mut card, pin_file, crate::ENTER_USER_PIN)?;
 
     let mut sign = util::verify_to_sign(&mut card, user_pin.as_deref())?;
     let s = sign.signer(&|| println!("Touch confirmation needed for signing"))?;
diff --git a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/util.rs b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/util.rs
index a2d7b0c..1e3b302 100644
--- a/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/util.rs
+++ b/tools/src/bin/opgpcard/util.rs
@@ -27,17 +27,20 @@ pub(crate) fn get_pin(
     card: &mut Card<Transaction<'_>>,
     pin_file: Option<PathBuf>,
     msg: &str,
-) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
+) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
     if let Some(path) = pin_file {
         // we have a pin file
-        Some(load_pin(&path).ok()?)
+        Ok(Some(load_pin(&path).context(format!(
+            "Failed to read PIN file {}",
+            path.display()
+        ))?))
     } else if !card.feature_pinpad_verify() {
         // we have no pin file and no pinpad
-        let pin = rpassword::prompt_password(msg).ok()?;
-        Some(pin.into_bytes())
+        let pin = rpassword::prompt_password(msg).context("Failed to read PIN")?;
+        Ok(Some(pin.into_bytes()))
     } else {
         // we have a pinpad
-        None
+        Ok(None)
     }
 }