diff --git a/apply.sh b/apply.sh
index de1a43a..6a9facc 100755
--- a/apply.sh
+++ b/apply.sh
@@ -2,27 +2,38 @@
 # the script executes updates to a nakamochi system.
 # it must be run as root or a user with equivalent privileges.
 
+# at script exit, report system/user CPU times it took to run
+# the whole update while preserving exit code.
+trap times EXIT
+# abort if an expansion encounteres an unset variable.
+set -u
+
 exit_code=0
 # defined in the caller script
 rootdir="$SYSUPDATES_ROOTDIR"
 
 # base os
+printf "######## base os\n" 1>&2
 cd "$rootdir"
 ./base/voidlinux.sh || exit 1
+printf "######## tor\n" 1>&2
 cd "$rootdir"
 ./base/tor.sh || exit_code=$?
 
 # nakamochi daemon and gui (ndg)
+printf "######## ndg\n" 1>&2
 cd "$rootdir"
 . ./ndg/env
 ndg_apply || exit_code=$?
 
 # bitcoin core
+printf "######## bitcoind\n" 1>&2
 cd "$rootdir"
 . ./btc/env
 bitcoin_apply || exit_code=$?
 
 # lnd lightning
+printf "######## lnd\n" 1>&2
 cd "$rootdir"
 . ./lnd/env
 lnd_apply || exit_code=$?
diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index 2c927f1..8a57c06 100755
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ fi
 # start of the sysupdate; trim prevously logged runs
 date > $LOGFILE
 
-# fetch updates from remove
+# fetch updates from remote
 cd "$REPODIR"
 {
 git fetch origin             # in case the refspec is unknown locally yet