diff --git a/include/download.h b/include/download.h
index 469bb72..7890ec3 100644
--- a/include/download.h
+++ b/include/download.h
@@ -88,20 +88,19 @@ namespace Download {
         return boost::json::value_to<std::vector<Action>>(action_json);
     }
 
-    boost::json::object download_game_json(int game_id) {
+    std::optional<boost::json::object> download_game_json(int game_id) {
         std::string request_str = "https://hanab.live/export/" + std::to_string(game_id);
         cpr::Response r = cpr::Get(cpr::Url(request_str));
         if (r.header["content-type"] != "application/json; charset=utf-8") {
-            return {};
+            return std::nullopt;
         }
         return boost::json::parse(r.text).as_object();
     }
 
-    boost::json::object open_game_json(const char *filename) {
+    std::optional<boost::json::object> open_game_json(const char *filename) {
         std::ifstream file(filename);
         if (!file.is_open()) {
-            std::cout << "Failed to open " << filename << "." << std::endl;
-            return {};
+            return std::nullopt;
         }
         std::string game_json((std::istreambuf_iterator<char>(file)), std::istreambuf_iterator<char>());
         return boost::json::parse(game_json).as_object();
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ namespace Download {
     }
 
     std::unique_ptr<Hanabi::HanabiStateIF> get_game(std::variant<int, const char*> game_spec, unsigned turn, size_t draw_pile_break = 0) {
-        const boost::json::object game_json = [&game_spec]() {
+        const std::optional<boost::json::object> game_json_opt = [&game_spec]() {
             if (game_spec.index() == 0) {
                 return download_game_json(std::get<int>(game_spec));
             } else {
@@ -153,10 +152,12 @@ namespace Download {
             }
         }();
 
-        if(game_json.empty()) {
+        if (!game_json_opt.has_value() or game_json_opt.value().empty()) {
             return nullptr;
         }
 
+        const boost::json::object& game_json = game_json_opt.value();
+
         const auto [deck, num_suits] = parse_deck(game_json.at("deck"));
         const std::vector<Action> actions = parse_actions(game_json.at("actions"));
         const size_t num_players = game_json.at("players").as_array().size();
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index b83feeb..23bf641 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ namespace Hanabi {
     void analyze_game_and_start_cli(std::variant<int, const char*> game_id, int turn) {
         auto game = Download::get_game(game_id, turn - 1);
         if (game == nullptr) {
+            if(game_id.index() == 0) {
+                std::cout << "Failed to download game " << std::get<int>(game_id) << " from hanab.live." << std::endl;
+            } else {
+                std::cout << "Failed to open file " << std::get<const char*>(game_id) << "." << std::endl;
+            }
             return;
         }