diff --git a/debian/install.sh b/debian/install.sh
index 9d2dab7..31d85d5 100644
--- a/debian/install.sh
+++ b/debian/install.sh
@@ -449,6 +449,10 @@ done
 # install this separate in case it conflicts
 if [ "x$MTAOPTION" != "x" ]; then
     $APTGET -yf install $MTAOPTION
+    if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+        echo "Error installing $MTAOPTION MTA"
+        echo "This usually means an MTA is already installed."
+    fi
 fi
 
 # fix the stupid line in /etc/freshclam.conf that disables freshclam 
diff --git a/rhel/install.sh b/rhel/install.sh
index e4478f4..ee8db0c 100644
--- a/rhel/install.sh
+++ b/rhel/install.sh
@@ -696,6 +696,10 @@ $YUM -y --skip-broken install $BASEPACKAGES $EPELOPTION
 # install this separate in case it conflicts
 if [ "x$MTAOPTION" != "x" ]; then
     $YUM -y install $MTAOPTION
+    if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+        echo "Error installing $MTAOPTION MTA"
+        echo "This usually means an MTA is already installed."
+    fi
     if [ $MTAOPTION = "sendmail" ]; then
         mkdir -p /var/spool/mqueue.in
     fi
diff --git a/suse/install.sh b/suse/install.sh
index 19dee49..91a0801 100644
--- a/suse/install.sh
+++ b/suse/install.sh
@@ -449,6 +449,10 @@ $ZYPPER --non-interactive --ignore-unknown install $BASEPACKAGES
 # install this separate in case it conflicts
 if [ "x$MTAOPTION" != "x" ]; then
     $ZYPPER --non-interactive --ignore-unknown install $MTAOPTION
+    if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+        echo "Error installing $MTAOPTION MTA"
+        echo "This usually means an MTA is already installed."
+    fi
     if [ $MTAOPTION = "sendmail" ]; then
         mkdir -p /var/spool/mqueue
         mkdir -p /var/spool/mqueue.in