diff --git a/backups/monitored-backup b/backups/monitored-backup
index 015129c..5bffb58 100755
--- a/backups/monitored-backup
+++ b/backups/monitored-backup
@@ -26,16 +26,24 @@ def backup [job] {
 
 def zfsBackup [job] {
   logStartJob $job.statusSlug
-  syncoid --no-sync-snap --create-bookmark --no-privilege-elevation --recursive ($job.source) ($job.target)
-  logFinishedJob $job.statusSlug
+  try {
+    syncoid --no-sync-snap --create-bookmark --no-privilege-elevation --recursive ($job.source) ($job.target)
+    logFinishedJob $job.statusSlug
+  } catch { |err|
+    logFailedJob $job.statusSlug $err.debug
+  }
 }
 
 def kopiaBackup [job] {
   #using sudo is annoying but since this is backing up docker containers
   #the permissions are often wrong. I should be using podman + rootless
   logStartJob $job.statusSlug
-  sudo kopia --config-file=($job.target) snapshot create ($job.source)
-  logFinishedJob $job.statusSlug
+  try {
+    sudo kopia --config-file=($job.target) snapshot create ($job.source)
+    logFinishedJob $job.statusSlug
+  } catch { |err|
+    logFailedJob $job.statusSlug $err.debug
+  }
 }
 
 def logStartJob [slug] {
@@ -44,6 +52,11 @@ def logStartJob [slug] {
   curl -s $"($statusHost)/ping/($pingKey)/($slug)/start" | save -f /dev/null
 }
  
+def logFailedJob [slug, err] {
+  print $"failed to run job: ($slug) with error: ($err)"
+  curl -s $"($statusHost)/ping/($pingKey)/($slug)/fail" | save -f /dev/null
+}
+
 def logFinishedJob [slug] {
   print $"finished job: ($slug)"
   curl -s $"($statusHost)/ping/($pingKey)/($slug)" | save -f /dev/null