diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index 47ee3cc02f..8806106d31 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import os
 import re
 import sys
+import traceback
 
 from .compat import compat_shlex_quote
 from .cookies import SUPPORTED_BROWSERS, SUPPORTED_KEYRINGS
@@ -937,14 +938,18 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         if opts.rm_cachedir:
             ydl.cache.remove()
 
-        updater = Updater(ydl, opts.update_self if isinstance(opts.update_self, str) else None)
-        if opts.update_self and updater.update() and actual_use:
-            if updater.cmd:
-                return updater.restart()
-            # This code is reachable only for zip variant in py < 3.10
-            # It makes sense to exit here, but the old behavior is to continue
-            ydl.report_warning('Restart yt-dlp to use the updated version')
-            # return 100, 'ERROR: The program must exit for the update to complete'
+        try:
+            updater = Updater(ydl, opts.update_self if isinstance(opts.update_self, str) else None)
+            if opts.update_self and updater.update() and actual_use:
+                if updater.cmd:
+                    return updater.restart()
+                # This code is reachable only for zip variant in py < 3.10
+                # It makes sense to exit here, but the old behavior is to continue
+                ydl.report_warning('Restart yt-dlp to use the updated version')
+                # return 100, 'ERROR: The program must exit for the update to complete'
+        except Exception:
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            ydl._download_retcode = 100
 
         if not actual_use:
             if pre_process:
diff --git a/yt_dlp/update.py b/yt_dlp/update.py
index 5a752d7167..7914de832f 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/update.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/update.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     Popen,
     cached_method,
     deprecation_warning,
+    network_exceptions,
     remove_end,
     remove_start,
     sanitized_Request,
@@ -258,8 +259,8 @@ def check_update(self):
             self.ydl.to_screen((
                 f'Available version: {self._label(self.target_channel, self.latest_version)}, ' if self.target_tag == 'latest' else ''
             ) + f'Current version: {self._label(CHANNEL, self.current_version)}')
-        except Exception:
-            return self._report_network_error('obtain version info', delim='; Please try again later or')
+        except network_exceptions as e:
+            return self._report_network_error(f'obtain version info ({e})', delim='; Please try again later or')
 
         if not is_non_updateable():
             self.ydl.to_screen(f'Current Build Hash: {_sha256_file(self.filename)}')
@@ -303,7 +304,7 @@ def update(self):
 
         try:
             newcontent = self._download(self.release_name, self._tag)
-        except Exception as e:
+        except network_exceptions as e:
             if isinstance(e, urllib.error.HTTPError) and e.code == 404:
                 return self._report_error(
                     f'The requested tag {self._label(self.target_channel, self.target_tag)} does not exist', True)