diff --git a/tools/miaou-create b/tools/miaou-create
index bac4b08..dc760bf 100755
--- a/tools/miaou-create
+++ b/tools/miaou-create
@@ -104,13 +104,13 @@ function refresh_template {
   fi
 
   script=$(
-    cat <<-EOF
-    apt-get update
-    apt-get dist-upgrade -y
-    apt-get install -y curl
-    MIAOU_BASH_DIR=/opt/miaou-bash
-    export MIAOU_BASH_DIR
-    "\$MIAOU_BASH_DIR"/bin/miaou-bash --initiate
+    cat <<EOF
+apt-get update
+apt-get dist-upgrade -y
+apt-get install -y curl
+MIAOU_BASH_DIR=/opt/miaou-bash
+export MIAOU_BASH_DIR
+"\$MIAOU_BASH_DIR"/bin/miaou-bash --initiate
 EOF
   )
 
diff --git a/tools/miaou-login b/tools/miaou-login
index e72aff0..e4e3d1f 100755
--- a/tools/miaou-login
+++ b/tools/miaou-login
@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ function parse_options {
 }
 
 function incus_su {
-  incus exec "$CONTAINER" -- su - "$1"
+  if incus exec "$CONTAINER" -- su - "$1"; then
+    : # useful for preserving $?
+  else
+    local code=$?
+    >&2 echo "$(basename "$0"): WARNING last command executed on container <$CONTAINER> returns exit_code=$code"
+    builtin exit $code
+  fi
 }
 
 function incus_user_exists {
@@ -50,7 +56,11 @@ function login {
   else
     local current
     current=$(whoami)
-    incus_user_exists "$current" && incus_su "$current" || incus_su root
+    if incus_user_exists "$current"; then
+      incus_su "$current"
+    else
+      incus_su root
+    fi
   fi
 }