diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/DownloadManager.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/DownloadManager.php
index 902e8beaf..2546e8c76 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/DownloadManager.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/DownloadManager.php
@@ -252,14 +252,19 @@ class DownloadManager
             $target->setInstallationSource($installationSource);
             try {
                 $downloader->update($initial, $target, $targetDir);
+
                 return;
-            } catch (\RuntimeException $ex) {
-                if (!$this->io->isInteractive() ||
-                    !$this->io->askConfirmation('    Updating failed. Would you like to try reinstalling instead [<comment>yes</comment>]? ', true)) {
-                    throw $ex;
+            } catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
+                if (!$this->io->isInteractive()) {
+                    throw $e;
+                }
+                $this->io->writeError('<error>    Update failed ('.$e->getMessage().')');
+                if (!$this->io->askConfirmation('    Would you like to try reinstalling the package instead [<comment>yes</comment>]? ', true)) {
+                    throw $e;
                 }
             }
         }
+
         $downloader->remove($initial, $targetDir);
         $this->download($target, $targetDir, 'source' === $installationSource);
     }
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/GitDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/GitDownloader.php
index c1d47c794..93beee158 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/GitDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/GitDownloader.php
@@ -372,15 +372,12 @@ class GitDownloader extends VcsDownloader
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks if VCS metadata repository has been initialized
-     * repository example: .git|.svn|.hg
-     *
-     * @param string $path
-     * @return bool
+     * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     protected function hasMetadataRepository($path)
     {
         $path = $this->normalizePath($path);
+
         return is_dir($path.'/.git');
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/HgDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/HgDownloader.php
index 9c379a9e5..419ce92cb 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/HgDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/HgDownloader.php
@@ -86,11 +86,7 @@ class HgDownloader extends VcsDownloader
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks if VCS metadata repository has been initialized
-     * repository example: .git|.svn|.hg
-     *
-     * @param string $path
-     * @return bool
+     * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     protected function hasMetadataRepository($path)
     {
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/PerforceDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/PerforceDownloader.php
index 77f82ac1e..0acc60f84 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/PerforceDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/PerforceDownloader.php
@@ -106,11 +106,7 @@ class PerforceDownloader extends VcsDownloader
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks if VCS metadata repository has been initialized
-     * repository example: .git|.svn|.hg
-     *
-     * @param string $path
-     * @return bool
+     * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     protected function hasMetadataRepository($path)
     {
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/SvnDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/SvnDownloader.php
index 42ebf758e..b71e22b31 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/SvnDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/SvnDownloader.php
@@ -190,11 +190,7 @@ class SvnDownloader extends VcsDownloader
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checks if VCS metadata repository has been initialized
-     * repository example: .git|.svn|.hg
-     *
-     * @param string $path
-     * @return bool
+     * {@inheritDoc}
      */
     protected function hasMetadataRepository($path)
     {
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
index 37aa9042f..0a48708d2 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ abstract class VcsDownloader implements DownloaderInterface, ChangeReportInterfa
 
         // print the commit logs if in verbose mode and VCS metadata is present
         // because in case of missing metadata code would trigger another exception
-        if ($this->io->isVerbose() && $this->hasMetadataRepository($path)) {
+        if (!$exception && $this->io->isVerbose() && $this->hasMetadataRepository($path)) {
             $message = 'Pulling in changes:';
             $logs = $this->getCommitLogs($initial->getSourceReference(), $target->getSourceReference(), $path);