diff --git a/bin/_blackbox_common.sh b/bin/_blackbox_common.sh
index 5558e2a..0d2e8ee 100755
--- a/bin/_blackbox_common.sh
+++ b/bin/_blackbox_common.sh
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@
 #
 
 # Usage:
+#
+#   set -e
 #   . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 # Where in the VCS repo should the blackbox data be found?
 : ${BLACKBOXDATA:=keyrings/live} ;   # If BLACKBOXDATA not set, set it.
-
-set -e
  
 # Outputs a string that is the base directory of this VCS repo.
 # By side-effect, sets the variable VCS_TYPE to either 'git', 'hg',
diff --git a/bin/_stack_lib.sh b/bin/_stack_lib.sh
index ebc1310..7aa0db1 100755
--- a/bin/_stack_lib.sh
+++ b/bin/_stack_lib.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Library functions for bash scripts at Stack Exchange.
 
 # Usage:
+#   set -e
 #   . _stack_lib.sh
 
 # ----- Utility Functions -----
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_addadmin b/bin/blackbox_addadmin
index 80b0e66..8ccc7db 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_addadmin
+++ b/bin/blackbox_addadmin
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #    blackbox_addadmin tal@example.com
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 . _stack_lib.sh
 
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_edit b/bin/blackbox_edit
index 9258e41..2309287 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_edit
+++ b/bin/blackbox_edit
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # blackbox_edit.sh -- Decrypt a file temporarily for edition, then re-encrypts it again
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 for param in """$@""" ; do
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_edit_end b/bin/blackbox_edit_end
index 07f33f8..ab4bf6f 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_edit_end
+++ b/bin/blackbox_edit_end
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # blackbox_edit_end -- Re-encrypt file after edits.
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 unencrypted_file=$(get_unencrypted_filename "$1")
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_edit_start b/bin/blackbox_edit_start
index 6a9c115..e5c7827 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_edit_start
+++ b/bin/blackbox_edit_start
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # blackbox_edit_start.sh -- Decrypt a file for editing.
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 for param in """$@""" ; do
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_initialize b/bin/blackbox_initialize
index ed93740..1b1ce9c 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_initialize
+++ b/bin/blackbox_initialize
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #    blackbox_initialize
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 _determine_vcs_base_and_type  # Sets VCS_TYPE
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_postdeploy b/bin/blackbox_postdeploy
index d608327..cadde13 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_postdeploy
+++ b/bin/blackbox_postdeploy
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # force /usr/bin and /bin to the front of the PATH.
 export PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:"$PATH"
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 if [[ "$1" == "" ]]; then
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_register_new_file b/bin/blackbox_register_new_file
index 7d6ebc4..b370adf 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_register_new_file
+++ b/bin/blackbox_register_new_file
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 # TODO(tlim): Add the unencrypted file to .gitignore
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 unencrypted_file=$(get_unencrypted_filename "$1")
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_removeadmin b/bin/blackbox_removeadmin
index 8240f5c..7bb092c 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_removeadmin
+++ b/bin/blackbox_removeadmin
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #    blackbox_removeadmin tal@example.com
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 . _stack_lib.sh
 
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_start b/bin/blackbox_start
index 444cf98..6c8aabf 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_start
+++ b/bin/blackbox_start
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # blackbox_edit_start.sh -- Decrypt a file for editing.
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 for param in """$@""" ; do
diff --git a/bin/blackbox_update_all_files b/bin/blackbox_update_all_files
index 9ace3cb..eb9ac86 100755
--- a/bin/blackbox_update_all_files
+++ b/bin/blackbox_update_all_files
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # blackbox_edit_end.sh -- Re-encrypt file after edits.
 #
 
+set -e
 . _blackbox_common.sh
 
 if [[ -z $GPG_AGENT_INFO ]]; then