diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 61a9a26e..8d1fd7c5 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ RUN easy-add --var os=${TARGETOS} --var arch=${TARGETARCH}${TARGETVARIANT} \
   --var version=0.1.1 --var app=maven-metadata-release --file {{.app}} \
   --from https://github.com/itzg/{{.app}}/releases/download/{{.version}}/{{.app}}_{{.version}}_{{.os}}_{{.arch}}.tar.gz
 
-ARG MC_HELPER_VERSION=1.16.6
+ARG MC_HELPER_VERSION=1.16.8
 ARG MC_HELPER_BASE_URL=https://github.com/itzg/mc-image-helper/releases/download/v${MC_HELPER_VERSION}
 RUN curl -fsSL ${MC_HELPER_BASE_URL}/mc-image-helper-${MC_HELPER_VERSION}.tgz \
   | tar -C /usr/share -zxf - \
diff --git a/scripts/start-deployForge b/scripts/start-deployForge
index c989ac21..de044b3e 100755
--- a/scripts/start-deployForge
+++ b/scripts/start-deployForge
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ resolve_versions() {
     log "Checking Forge version information."
     case $FORGEVERSION in
       LATEST)
-        if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-latest']" "$promosUrl"); then
+        if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-latest']" --json-value-when-missing "" "$promosUrl"); then
           log "ERROR: Version $VANILLA_VERSION is not supported by Forge"
           log "       Refer to http://files.minecraftforge.net/ for supported versions"
           exit 2
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ resolve_versions() {
         ;;
 
       RECOMMENDED)
-        if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get -s --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-recommended']" "$promosUrl"); then
-          if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-latest']" "$promosUrl"); then
+        if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get -s --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-recommended']" --json-value-when-missing "" "$promosUrl"); then
+          if ! FORGE_VERSION=$(get --json-path ".promos['$VANILLA_VERSION-latest']" --json-value-when-missing "" "$promosUrl"); then
             log "ERROR: Version $VANILLA_VERSION is not supported by Forge"
             log "       Refer to http://files.minecraftforge.net/ for supported versions"
             exit 2
diff --git a/scripts/start-deployVanilla b/scripts/start-deployVanilla
index fd2474bc..bd33947a 100755
--- a/scripts/start-deployVanilla
+++ b/scripts/start-deployVanilla
@@ -8,27 +8,25 @@ set -o pipefail
 export SERVER="minecraft_server.${VANILLA_VERSION// /_}.jar"
 
 if [ ! -e "$SERVER" ] || [ -n "$FORCE_REDOWNLOAD" ]; then
-  log "Downloading $SERVER ..."
+  log "Locating download for $SERVER ..."
   debug "Finding version manifest for $VANILLA_VERSION"
   versionManifestUrl=$(get 'https://launchermeta.mojang.com/mc/game/version_manifest.json' | jq --arg VANILLA_VERSION "$VANILLA_VERSION" --raw-output '[.versions[]|select(.id == $VANILLA_VERSION)][0].url')
   result=$?
   if [ $result != 0 ]; then
-    log "ERROR failed to obtain version manifest URL ($result)"
+    log "ERROR: failed to obtain version manifest URL ($result)"
     exit 1
   fi
   if [ "$versionManifestUrl" = "null" ]; then
-    log "ERROR couldn't find a matching manifest entry for $VANILLA_VERSION"
+    log "ERROR: couldn't find a matching manifest entry for $VANILLA_VERSION"
     exit 1
   fi
   debug "Found version manifest at $versionManifestUrl"
 
-  serverDownloadUrl=$(get --json-path '$.downloads.server.url' "${versionManifestUrl}")
-  result=$?
-  if [ $result != 0 ]; then
-    log "ERROR failed to obtain version manifest from $versionManifestUrl ($result)"
+  if ! serverDownloadUrl=$(get --json-path '$.downloads.server.url' "${versionManifestUrl}"); then
+    log "ERROR: failed to obtain version manifest from $versionManifestUrl ($result)"
     exit 1
   elif [ "$serverDownloadUrl" = "null" ]; then
-    log "ERROR version $VANILLA_VERSION does not provide a server download"
+    log "ERROR: there is not a server download for version $VANILLA_VERSION"
     exit 1
   fi
 
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ if [ ! -e "$SERVER" ] || [ -n "$FORCE_REDOWNLOAD" ]; then
   get -o "$SERVER" "$serverDownloadUrl"
   result=$?
   if [ $result != 0 ]; then
-    log "ERROR failed to download server from $serverDownloadUrl ($result)"
+    log "ERROR: failed to download server from $serverDownloadUrl ($result)"
     exit 1
   fi
 fi