diff --git a/src/js/websocket.ts b/src/js/websocket.ts
index 8c31b3a..0fe5230 100644
--- a/src/js/websocket.ts
+++ b/src/js/websocket.ts
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ function retryConnection() {
     connected = false
 
     if (retries >= MAX_RETRIES) {
-        addErrorMessage(`!! Failed to reconnect ${retries} times. Server is down.`)
+        addErrorMessage(`Failed to reconnect ${retries} times. Server is down.`)
         if (ws) ws.onclose = () => { }
         return
     }
     retries++
-    addErrorMessage(`!! Connection lost. Retrying...`)
+    addErrorMessage(`Connection lost. Retrying...`)
     setTimeout(startConnection, 2000)
 }
diff --git a/src/server.tsx b/src/server.tsx
index 5783a4f..b8a9f74 100644
--- a/src/server.tsx
+++ b/src/server.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { transpile, isFile, tilde } from "./utils"
 import { serveApp } from "./webapp"
 import { initDNS } from "./dns"
 import { commands, commandPath, loadCommandModule } from "./commands"
-import { runInSession, processExecOutput } from "./shell"
+import { runCommandFn } from "./shell"
 import { send, addWebsocket, removeWebsocket, closeWebsockets } from "./websocket"
 
 import { Layout } from "./html/layout"
@@ -98,12 +98,9 @@ app.on(["GET", "POST"], ["/cmd/:name"], async c => {
     try {
         const mod = await loadCommandModule(cmd)
         if (!mod || !mod[method])
-            return c.json({ error: `No ${method} export in ${cmd}` }, 500)
+            return c.json({ status: "error", output: `No ${method} export in ${cmd}` }, 500)
 
-        return c.json(await runInSession(sessionId, async () => {
-            const [status, output] = processExecOutput(await mod[method](c))
-            return { status, output }
-        }))
+        return c.json(await runCommandFn(sessionId, async () => mod[method](c)))
     } catch (e: any) {
         return c.json({ status: "error", output: e.message || e.toString() }, 500)
     }
diff --git a/src/shell.ts b/src/shell.ts
index 34d0ca0..0122295 100644
--- a/src/shell.ts
+++ b/src/shell.ts
@@ -29,9 +29,20 @@ export async function runCommand(sessionId: string, taskId: string, input: strin
     return { status, output }
 }
 
-export async function runInSession(sessionId: string, fn: () => Promise<any>) {
+export async function runCommandFn(sessionId: string, fn: () => Promise<CommandResult>) {
+    let status: "ok" | "error" = "ok"
+    let output: CommandOutput = ""
     const state = getState(sessionId)
-    return await ALS.run(state, async () => await fn())
+
+    try {
+        const execOutput = await ALS.run(state, async () => await fn())
+            ;[status, output] = processExecOutput(execOutput)
+    } catch (err) {
+        status = "error"
+        output = errorMessage(err)
+    }
+
+    return { status, output }
 }
 
 async function exec(cmd: string, args: string[]): Promise<["ok" | "error", CommandOutput]> {