diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 42bc3ee..07e9624 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,9 +7,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+## [1.0.1] - 2024-07-26
+### Fixed
+- better error handling when API responds with an error
 
 ## [1.0.0] - 2024-07-26
 First release of `mailcow-admin-aliases`
 
-[unreleased]: https://code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/compare/1.0.0...HEAD
+[unreleased]: https://code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/compare/1.0.1...HEAD
+[1.0.1]: https://code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/compare/1.0.0...1.0.1
 [1.0.0]: https://code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/releases/tag/1.0.0
diff --git a/internal/mailcow/aliases.go b/internal/mailcow/aliases.go
index 4ee5304..2efc306 100644
--- a/internal/mailcow/aliases.go
+++ b/internal/mailcow/aliases.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/internal/configuration"
@@ -64,6 +65,11 @@ func LoadAliases(cfg configuration.Config) ([]MailcowAlias, []string, error) {
 
 	slog.Debug("alias response received", "status", res.Status, "status-code", res.StatusCode)
 
+	if res.StatusCode != 200 {
+		slog.Error("API request unsuccessful", "status", res.Status, "status-code", res.StatusCode)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
 	body, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return []MailcowAlias{}, []string{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to read alias request body: %w", err)
diff --git a/internal/mailcow/domains.go b/internal/mailcow/domains.go
index 19f6747..635c31c 100644
--- a/internal/mailcow/domains.go
+++ b/internal/mailcow/domains.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"code.lila.network/adoralaura/mailcow-admin-aliases/internal/configuration"
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ func LoadDomains(cfg configuration.Config) ([]MailcowDomain, error) {
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	if res.StatusCode != 200 {
+		slog.Error("API request unsuccessful", "status", res.Status, "status-code", res.StatusCode)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
 	slog.Debug("domain response received", "status", res.Status, "status-code", res.StatusCode)
 
 	body, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)