diff --git a/data/maps/Makefile b/data/maps/Makefile
index bddd463527..a895d37b53 100644
--- a/data/maps/Makefile
+++ b/data/maps/Makefile
@@ -4,14 +4,15 @@ Q=@
 all: $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com $(PAPARAZZI_HOME)/conf/maps.xml
 
 clean:
-	
+
 
 $(DATADIR):
 	mkdir $(DATADIR)
 
 $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com: $(DATADIR) FORCE
 	@echo "DOWNLOAD: google maps version code";
-	$(Q)wget -q -O $(@) http://maps.google.com/
+	$(Q)wget -q -O $(@) http://maps.google.com/ | \
+		rm -f $(@) && echo "Could not download google maps version code" && exit 1
 
 $(PAPARAZZI_HOME)/conf/maps.xml: $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com
 	$(Q)echo "<!DOCTYPE maps SYSTEM \"maps.dtd\">" > $(@)