diff --git a/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/encrypt.go b/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/encrypt.go
index 4cbac37..e72ba14 100644
--- a/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/encrypt.go
+++ b/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/encrypt.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package gpgbin
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/models"
@@ -27,7 +28,10 @@ func Encrypt(r io.Reader, to []string, from string) ([]byte, error) {
 	g.cmd.Run()
 	outRdr := bytes.NewReader(g.stdout.Bytes())
 	var md models.MessageDetails
-	parse(outRdr, &md)
+	err := parse(outRdr, &md)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("gpg: failure to encrypt: %v. check public key(s)", err)
+	}
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	io.Copy(&buf, md.Body)
 
diff --git a/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/gpgbin.go b/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/gpgbin.go
index bce3097..9f79e97 100644
--- a/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/gpgbin.go
+++ b/lib/crypto/gpg/gpgbin/gpgbin.go
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ func parse(r io.Reader, md *models.MessageDetails) error {
 			md.Micalg = micalgs[micalg]
 		case "NODATA":
 			md.SignatureError = "gpg: no signature packet found"
+		case "FAILURE":
+			return fmt.Errorf(strings.TrimPrefix(line, "[GNUPG:] "))
 		}
 	}
 	md.Body = bytes.NewReader(msgContent)
diff --git a/widgets/compose.go b/widgets/compose.go
index 49a8eff..2016abb 100644
--- a/widgets/compose.go
+++ b/widgets/compose.go
@@ -598,7 +598,10 @@ func (c *Composer) WriteMessage(header *mail.Header, writer io.Writer) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		cleartext.Close()
+		err = cleartext.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		io.Copy(writer, &buf)
 		return nil