diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 3c3515a..1fa6c5f 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -233,30 +233,6 @@ version = "1.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1c133bc6a41be0d194c306b5506d15e6feeea7b1d6604bd3f8310dfb2ca96486"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "cmd_lib"
-version = "2.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "dc93f60133215cad2ef47e47db5a386c78874a2630c2c2be68f0f543b3ce0c2c"
-dependencies = [
- "cmd_lib_macros",
- "env_logger",
- "faccess",
- "log",
- "os_pipe",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "cmd_lib_macros"
-version = "2.0.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bd39b5c2657c1a0064aa5d73636dac4a217edeeb6c5f8a5f52c123a758462ece"
-dependencies = [
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn 2.0.119",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "colorchoice"
 version = "1.0.5"
@@ -538,17 +514,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "faccess"
-version = "0.2.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "59ae66425802d6a903e268ae1a08b8c38ba143520f227a205edf4e9c7e3e26d5"
-dependencies = [
- "bitflags 1.3.2",
- "libc",
- "winapi",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "fastrand"
 version = "2.5.0"
@@ -1488,16 +1453,6 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "os_pipe"
-version = "1.2.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "7d8fae84b431384b68627d0f9b3b1245fcf9f46f6c0e3dc902e9dce64edd1967"
-dependencies = [
- "libc",
- "windows-sys 0.61.2",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "parking_lot"
 version = "0.12.5"
@@ -1546,7 +1501,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "bzip2-rs",
  "chrono",
  "clap",
- "cmd_lib",
  "crossterm",
  "csv",
  "directories",
@@ -1558,7 +1512,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "hex",
  "indicatif",
  "indicatif-log-bridge",
- "lazy_static",
  "libc",
  "log",
  "md-5",
@@ -1576,6 +1529,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tar",
  "tempfile",
  "test-log",
+ "thiserror",
  "tokio",
  "unicode-width",
  "xz2",
@@ -2288,9 +2242,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bytes 1.12.1",
  "libc",
  "mio",
- "parking_lot",
  "pin-project-lite",
- "signal-hook-registry",
  "socket2",
  "tokio-macros",
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b596e8b..5097224 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ readme = "README.md"
 
 [dependencies]
 clap = { version = "4.5.51", features = ["cargo"] }
-cmd_lib = "2.0.0"
 crossterm = "0.28"
 flate2 = "1.1.5"
 serde = { version = "1.0.228", features = ["derive"] }
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ reqwest = { version = "0.12.9", features = ["blocking", "json", "stream"] }
 git2 = "0.20.2"
 regex = "1"
 chrono = "0.4"
-tokio = { version = "1.41.1", features = ["full"] }
+tokio = { version = "1.41.1", features = ["rt-multi-thread", "macros", "time", "sync"] }
 sha2 = "0.10.8"
 sha1 = "0.10"
 md-5 = "0.10"
@@ -37,11 +36,11 @@ directories = "6.0.0"
 ssh2 = "0.9.5"
 gpgme = "0.11"
 serde_yaml = "0.9"
-lazy_static = "1.4.0"
 unicode-width = "0.2"
 parking_lot = "0.12"
 suppaftp = "12"
 bzip2-rs = "0.1.2"
+thiserror = "2"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 test-log = "0.2.19"
diff --git a/src/apt/release.rs b/src/apt/release.rs
index 412c695..35d1482 100644
--- a/src/apt/release.rs
+++ b/src/apt/release.rs
@@ -39,13 +39,14 @@
 //!   the missing authenticity only produces a `warn!`.
 //!
 //! Only actual tampering evidence — an invalid signature, or an index whose
-//! hash does not match the signed Release — is reported as [`VerifyError`].
+//! hash does not match the signed Release — is reported as an error:
+//! [`VerifyError`] for the suite signature, [`FileVerifyError`] for an
+//! index that fails its Release checksums.
 //!
 //! ASCII-armored keyrings (Debian distributes `.asc` keyrings, and
 //! keyserver responses are armored) are dearmored in-process, so no `gpg`
 //! binary is needed.
 
-use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 use log::{debug, warn};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ use std::error::Error;
 use std::fmt;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::LazyLock;
 use std::sync::Mutex;
 use std::sync::PoisonError;
 
@@ -227,48 +229,101 @@ impl VerifiedRelease {
     /// or, for flat repositories, 'Sources.xz'). Both the digest and the
     /// size are checked; a file not listed in the Release file is refused,
     /// as it is not covered by the repository signature.
-    pub fn verify_file(&self, rel_path: &str, data: &[u8]) -> Result<(), String> {
+    pub fn verify_file(&self, rel_path: &str, data: &[u8]) -> Result<(), FileVerifyError> {
         if !self.available {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "no Release file was found for '{}': cannot checksum-verify '{rel_path}'",
-                self.suite_url
-            ));
+            return Err(FileVerifyError::NoReleaseFile {
+                suite_url: self.suite_url.clone(),
+                path: rel_path.to_string(),
+            });
         }
 
-        let entry = self.checksums.get(rel_path).ok_or_else(|| {
-            format!(
-                "'{rel_path}' is not listed in the Release file of '{}'; refusing \
-                 to use an index that is not covered by the repository metadata",
-                self.suite_url
-            )
-        })?;
+        let entry = self
+            .checksums
+            .get(rel_path)
+            .ok_or_else(|| FileVerifyError::NotListed {
+                path: rel_path.to_string(),
+                suite_url: self.suite_url.clone(),
+            })?;
 
         let digest = entry.kind.digest(data);
         if !digest.eq_ignore_ascii_case(&entry.hash) {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "checksum mismatch for '{rel_path}' of '{}': the Release file \
-                 expects {} {} but the downloaded file hashes to {}; the index \
-                 does not match the signed repository metadata",
-                self.suite_url,
-                entry.kind.name(),
-                entry.hash,
-                digest
-            ));
+            return Err(FileVerifyError::ChecksumMismatch {
+                path: rel_path.to_string(),
+                suite_url: self.suite_url.clone(),
+                algorithm: entry.kind.name().to_string(),
+                expected: entry.hash.clone(),
+                actual: digest,
+            });
         }
 
         if entry.size > 0 && entry.size != data.len() as u64 {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "size mismatch for '{rel_path}' of '{}': expected {} bytes, got {}",
-                self.suite_url,
-                entry.size,
-                data.len()
-            ));
+            return Err(FileVerifyError::SizeMismatch {
+                path: rel_path.to_string(),
+                suite_url: self.suite_url.clone(),
+                expected: entry.size,
+                actual: data.len(),
+            });
         }
 
         Ok(())
     }
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`VerifiedRelease::verify_file`]: the downloaded index is not
+/// covered by the suite's signed Release metadata.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum FileVerifyError {
+    /// No Release file was seen on the suite, so there is nothing to
+    /// verify against.
+    #[error("no Release file was found for '{suite_url}': cannot checksum-verify '{path}'")]
+    NoReleaseFile {
+        /// URL of the suite directory.
+        suite_url: String,
+        /// The path that was to be verified.
+        path: String,
+    },
+    /// The Release file does not list the path: it is not covered by the
+    /// repository signature.
+    #[error(
+        "'{path}' is not listed in the Release file of '{suite_url}'; refusing to use an index that is not covered by the repository metadata"
+    )]
+    NotListed {
+        /// The unlisted path.
+        path: String,
+        /// URL of the suite directory.
+        suite_url: String,
+    },
+    /// The downloaded file does not hash to the Release entry.
+    #[error(
+        "checksum mismatch for '{path}' of '{suite_url}': the Release file expects {algorithm} {expected} but the downloaded file hashes to {actual}; the index does not match the signed repository metadata"
+    )]
+    ChecksumMismatch {
+        /// The verified path.
+        path: String,
+        /// URL of the suite directory.
+        suite_url: String,
+        /// Name of the checksum algorithm (`SHA256`, ...).
+        algorithm: String,
+        /// The digest the Release file lists.
+        expected: String,
+        /// The digest of the downloaded bytes.
+        actual: String,
+    },
+    /// The downloaded file's length differs from the Release entry (a
+    /// zeroed entry skips the check).
+    #[error("size mismatch for '{path}' of '{suite_url}': expected {expected} bytes, got {actual}")]
+    SizeMismatch {
+        /// The verified path.
+        path: String,
+        /// URL of the suite directory.
+        suite_url: String,
+        /// The size the Release file lists.
+        expected: u64,
+        /// The size of the downloaded bytes.
+        actual: usize,
+    },
+}
+
 /// Parse a Release file body (the signed payload of an InRelease, or a
 /// plain Release file) into a [`VerifiedRelease`]
 fn parse_release_body(suite_url: &str, body: &str, authenticated: bool) -> VerifiedRelease {
@@ -793,11 +848,10 @@ async fn fetch_optional(url: &str) -> Option<Vec<u8>> {
     None
 }
 
-lazy_static! {
-    /// Downloaded keyrings, keyed by URL: keyrings are small but would
-    /// otherwise be re-downloaded once per series/pocket lookup
-    static ref KEYRING_CACHE: Mutex<HashMap<String, Vec<u8>>> = Mutex::new(HashMap::new());
-}
+/// Downloaded keyrings, keyed by URL: keyrings are small but would
+/// otherwise be re-downloaded once per series/pocket lookup
+static KEYRING_CACHE: LazyLock<Mutex<HashMap<String, Vec<u8>>>> =
+    LazyLock::new(|| Mutex::new(HashMap::new()));
 
 /// Read the keyring cache, ignoring poisoning (the map is only corrupted on
 /// panics, in which case a fresh map is just as good)
@@ -914,9 +968,33 @@ pub async fn ppa_keyring_bytes(
     Ok(keyring)
 }
 
+/// Failure of the OpenPGP armor and base64 decoders ([`dearmor`],
+/// [`base64_decode`]).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ArmorError {
+    /// The armored input is not valid UTF-8.
+    #[error("the armored keyring is not valid UTF-8")]
+    NotUtf8,
+    /// The armor CRC-24 does not match the decoded payload.
+    #[error("the armor CRC-24 checksum does not match")]
+    CrcMismatch,
+    /// An armor marker was present but no payload followed it.
+    #[error("no armored OpenPGP data found")]
+    NoArmoredData,
+    /// A byte outside the base64 alphabet.
+    #[error("invalid base64 character '{c}'")]
+    InvalidBase64 {
+        /// The offending character.
+        c: char,
+    },
+    /// The base64 payload ends mid-group.
+    #[error("truncated base64 data")]
+    Truncated,
+}
+
 /// Decode an OpenPGP ASCII-armored keyring into its binary form (the
 /// equivalent of 'gpg --dearmor'). Binary input passes through unchanged.
-fn dearmor(data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
+fn dearmor(data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ArmorError> {
     // Only input starting with an armor marker is armored; anything else is
     // assumed to already be a binary keyring
     let first = data
@@ -927,8 +1005,7 @@ fn dearmor(data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
         return Ok(data.to_vec());
     }
 
-    let text = std::str::from_utf8(data)
-        .map_err(|_| "the armored keyring is not valid UTF-8".to_string())?;
+    let text = std::str::from_utf8(data).map_err(|_| ArmorError::NotUtf8)?;
 
     #[derive(PartialEq)]
     enum State {
@@ -964,7 +1041,7 @@ fn dearmor(data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
                                 | (u32::from(expected[1]) << 8)
                                 | u32::from(expected[2]);
                             if value != crc24(&decoded) {
-                                return Err("the armor CRC-24 checksum does not match".to_string());
+                                return Err(ArmorError::CrcMismatch);
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -982,21 +1059,21 @@ fn dearmor(data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
     }
 
     if out.is_empty() {
-        return Err("no armored OpenPGP data found".to_string());
+        return Err(ArmorError::NoArmoredData);
     }
     Ok(out)
 }
 
 /// Decode standard base64, ignoring whitespace; '=' padding is optional
-fn base64_decode(input: &str) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
-    fn value(byte: u8) -> Result<u32, String> {
+fn base64_decode(input: &str) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ArmorError> {
+    fn value(byte: u8) -> Result<u32, ArmorError> {
         match byte {
             b'A'..=b'Z' => Ok(u32::from(byte - b'A')),
             b'a'..=b'z' => Ok(u32::from(byte - b'a' + 26)),
             b'0'..=b'9' => Ok(u32::from(byte - b'0' + 52)),
             b'+' => Ok(62),
             b'/' => Ok(63),
-            _ => Err(format!("invalid base64 character '{}'", byte as char)),
+            _ => Err(ArmorError::InvalidBase64 { c: byte as char }),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1016,7 +1093,7 @@ fn base64_decode(input: &str) -> Result<Vec<u8>, String> {
             }
             3 => (value(chunk[0])? << 18) | (value(chunk[1])? << 12) | (value(chunk[2])? << 6),
             2 => (value(chunk[0])? << 18) | (value(chunk[1])? << 12),
-            _ => return Err("truncated base64 data".to_string()),
+            _ => return Err(ArmorError::Truncated),
         };
         out.push((n >> 16) as u8);
         if chunk.len() >= 3 {
@@ -1155,20 +1232,23 @@ garbage
         // Tampered content fails with a checksum mismatch
         let err = verified
             .verify_file("main/source/Sources.gz", b"tampered!")
-            .unwrap_err();
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("checksum mismatch"), "got: {err}");
 
         // A correct hash with a wrong size also fails
         let err = verified
             .verify_file("main/source/Sizes.gz", b"test")
-            .unwrap_err();
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("size mismatch"), "got: {err}");
 
         // A file not listed in the Release file is refused: it is not
         // covered by the repository signature
         let err = verified
             .verify_file("evil/source/Sources.gz", b"test")
-            .unwrap_err();
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("not listed"), "got: {err}");
 
         // Without a Release file nothing can be verified
diff --git a/src/build/env.rs b/src/build/env.rs
index 30113f8..96ef4e8 100644
--- a/src/build/env.rs
+++ b/src/build/env.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ pub fn build_env(
 /// (`*_ARCH`, `*_OS`, `*_CPU`, `*_MULTIARCH`, `*_GNU_TYPE`, ...), exactly as
 /// `dpkg-buildpackage` does.
 pub fn arch_env(host_arch: Option<&str>) -> Result<BTreeMap<String, String>, String> {
-    crate::debian::arch::arch_env(host_arch)
+    crate::debian::arch::arch_env(host_arch).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
 }
 
 /// Read the current vendor name from the active dpkg origins `default` file
diff --git a/src/build/mod.rs b/src/build/mod.rs
index 0573c43..30d1d54 100644
--- a/src/build/mod.rs
+++ b/src/build/mod.rs
@@ -2284,13 +2284,13 @@ Provides: virtual-thing (= 2.0), plain-virtual
                 Some(dist),
                 None,
                 None,
-                None,
+                &crate::report::Quiet,
             ))
             .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("package lookup failed for {}: {}", package, e));
         rt.block_on(crate::pull::pull(
             &package_info,
             Some(fetch_dir.path()),
-            None,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
             true,
         ))
         .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("pull failed for {}: {}", package, e));
diff --git a/src/data.rs b/src/data.rs
index e750ec7..970b66c 100644
--- a/src/data.rs
+++ b/src/data.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 //! data/quirks.yml) through the [`embed_data!`] macro below, so data
 //! and its accessors stay together and a diff touching one domain cannot
 //! half-touch another. The macro embeds the file at compile time and
-//! parses it once into a `lazy_static` on first use; since the data ships
+//! parses it once into a [`LazyLock`] on first use; since the data ships
 //! inside the binary, a parse failure is a build-time bug that cannot be
 //! recovered from at runtime, and the macro panics on it.
 //!
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@
 /// the invoking source file (`"../data/distro_info.yml"` from
 /// `src/distro_info.rs`, `"../../data/host_keys.yml"` from
 /// `src/put/ssh.rs`, ...), and expands to the house `include_str!` →
-/// `lazy_static` → parse pattern — only the embed+parse boilerplate is
-/// generated.
+/// parse-on-first-use pattern — only the embed+parse boilerplate is
+/// generated. The `static ref` spelling is kept from the macro's
+/// `lazy_static!` ancestry; it expands to a plain `LazyLock` static.
 ///
 /// ```ignore
 /// embed_data! {
@@ -39,31 +40,19 @@
 /// }
 /// ```
 macro_rules! embed_data {
-    // Internal arm: the visibility arrives wrapped in parentheses (empty for
-    // private statics) because `lazy_static!` only re-matches literal
-    // `pub`/`pub(...)` token sequences, not an opaque forwarded `vis`.
-    (@expand ($($vis:tt)*) static ref $name:ident : $ty:ty = $path:literal) => {
-        lazy_static::lazy_static! {
-            // The YAML is include_str!'d at compile time and statically
-            // valid; if it ever failed to parse it would be a build-time bug
-            // that cannot be recovered from at runtime, so panicking here is
-            // acceptable.
-            $($vis)* static ref $name: $ty = serde_yaml::from_str(include_str!($path))
+    ($vis:vis static ref $name:ident : $ty:ty = $path:literal) => {
+        // The YAML is include_str!'d at compile time and statically
+        // valid; if it ever failed to parse it would be a build-time bug
+        // that cannot be recovered from at runtime, so panicking here is
+        // acceptable.
+        $vis static $name: ::std::sync::LazyLock<$ty> = ::std::sync::LazyLock::new(|| {
+            serde_yaml::from_str(include_str!($path))
                 .expect(concat!(
                     "built-in ",
                     $path,
                     " data is statically valid and must parse"
-                ));
-        }
-    };
-    (static ref $name:ident : $ty:ty = $path:literal) => {
-        $crate::data::embed_data!(@expand () static ref $name : $ty = $path);
-    };
-    (pub static ref $name:ident : $ty:ty = $path:literal) => {
-        $crate::data::embed_data!(@expand (pub) static ref $name : $ty = $path);
-    };
-    (pub ($($vis:tt)+) static ref $name:ident : $ty:ty = $path:literal) => {
-        $crate::data::embed_data!(@expand (pub ($($vis)+)) static ref $name : $ty = $path);
+                ))
+        });
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/deb/mod.rs b/src/deb/mod.rs
index 0c27e1a..2f62376 100644
--- a/src/deb/mod.rs
+++ b/src/deb/mod.rs
@@ -1360,11 +1360,19 @@ mod tests {
         log::debug!("Created temporary directory: {}", cwd.display());
 
         log::info!("Pulling package {} from {}...", package, series);
-        let package_info =
-            crate::package_info::lookup(package, None, Some(series), "", dist, None, None, None)
-                .await
-                .expect("Cannot lookup package information");
-        crate::pull::pull(&package_info, Some(cwd), None, true)
+        let package_info = crate::package_info::lookup(
+            package,
+            None,
+            Some(series),
+            "",
+            dist,
+            None,
+            None,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect("Cannot lookup package information");
+        crate::pull::pull(&package_info, Some(cwd), &crate::report::Quiet, true)
             .await
             .expect("Cannot pull package");
         log::info!("Successfully pulled package {}", package);
diff --git a/src/debian/arch.rs b/src/debian/arch.rs
index 9d47e1e..cb775aa 100644
--- a/src/debian/arch.rs
+++ b/src/debian/arch.rs
@@ -682,14 +682,45 @@ pub fn is_invalid(arch: &str, positive: bool) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+/// Failure of the architecture helpers: an invalid list entry, an
+/// undetectable native architecture, or an architecture unknown to dpkg's
+/// tables.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ArchError {
+    /// An entry of the list is not a valid architecture name.
+    #[error("'{arch}' is not a valid architecture in list '{list}'")]
+    InvalidInList {
+        /// The offending architecture name.
+        arch: String,
+        /// The whole list.
+        list: String,
+    },
+    /// Neither dpkg nor uname could name the native architecture.
+    #[error("cannot determine native Debian architecture")]
+    NativeUndetermined,
+    /// The architecture is not in dpkg's tables.
+    #[error("unknown Debian architecture '{arch}'")]
+    Unknown {
+        /// The unknown architecture name.
+        arch: String,
+    },
+    /// A GNU triplet without the expected `cpu-system` shape.
+    #[error("invalid GNU triplet '{triplet}'")]
+    InvalidTriplet {
+        /// The malformed triplet.
+        triplet: String,
+    },
+}
+
 /// Parse a whitespace-separated architecture list, validating every entry.
-pub fn list_parse(list: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
+pub fn list_parse(list: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, ArchError> {
     let arches: Vec<String> = list.split_whitespace().map(str::to_string).collect();
     for arch in &arches {
         if is_invalid(arch, false) {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "'{arch}' is not a valid architecture in list '{list}'"
-            ));
+            return Err(ArchError::InvalidInList {
+                arch: arch.clone(),
+                list: list.to_string(),
+            });
         }
     }
     Ok(arches)
@@ -802,7 +833,7 @@ fn from_uname() -> Option<String> {
 /// the `DEB_BUILD_*` variables): the authoritative answer comes from the
 /// dpkg database itself; if the `dpkg` frontend cannot be executed, the
 /// architecture is derived from `uname` through the same tables.
-pub fn native() -> Result<String, String> {
+pub fn native() -> Result<String, ArchError> {
     if let Ok(output) = Command::new("dpkg").arg("--print-architecture").output()
         && output.status.success()
     {
@@ -811,7 +842,7 @@ pub fn native() -> Result<String, String> {
             return Ok(arch);
         }
     }
-    from_uname().ok_or_else(|| "cannot determine native Debian architecture".to_string())
+    from_uname().ok_or(ArchError::NativeUndetermined)
 }
 
 /// Compute the complete architecture environment, the equivalent of
@@ -821,7 +852,7 @@ pub fn native() -> Result<String, String> {
 /// The target architecture defaults to the host architecture, and the host
 /// architecture defaults to the native build architecture, exactly like
 /// dpkg-architecture.
-pub fn arch_env(host_arch: Option<&str>) -> Result<BTreeMap<String, String>, String> {
+pub fn arch_env(host_arch: Option<&str>) -> Result<BTreeMap<String, String>, ArchError> {
     let build_arch = native()?;
     let host_arch = host_arch.unwrap_or(&build_arch).to_string();
     let target_arch = host_arch.clone();
@@ -832,8 +863,9 @@ pub fn arch_env(host_arch: Option<&str>) -> Result<BTreeMap<String, String>, Str
         ("HOST", host_arch),
         ("TARGET", target_arch),
     ] {
-        let tuple = debarch_to_debtuple(&arch)
-            .ok_or_else(|| format!("unknown Debian architecture '{arch}'"))?;
+        let tuple = debarch_to_debtuple(&arch).ok_or_else(|| ArchError::Unknown {
+            arch: arch.to_string(),
+        })?;
 
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH"), arch.clone());
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH_ABI"), tuple.abi.clone());
@@ -841,20 +873,26 @@ pub fn arch_env(host_arch: Option<&str>) -> Result<BTreeMap<String, String>, Str
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH_OS"), tuple.os.clone());
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH_CPU"), tuple.cpu.clone());
 
-        let (bits, endian) =
-            abi_attrs(&arch).ok_or_else(|| format!("unknown Debian architecture '{arch}'"))?;
+        let (bits, endian) = abi_attrs(&arch).ok_or_else(|| ArchError::Unknown {
+            arch: arch.to_string(),
+        })?;
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH_BITS"), bits.to_string());
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_ARCH_ENDIAN"), endian.to_string());
 
-        let multi =
-            multiarch(&arch).ok_or_else(|| format!("unknown Debian architecture '{arch}'"))?;
+        let multi = multiarch(&arch).ok_or_else(|| ArchError::Unknown {
+            arch: arch.to_string(),
+        })?;
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_MULTIARCH"), multi);
 
-        let gnu_type = debarch_to_gnutriplet(&arch)
-            .ok_or_else(|| format!("unknown Debian architecture '{arch}'"))?;
-        let (gnu_cpu, gnu_system) = gnu_type
-            .split_once('-')
-            .ok_or_else(|| format!("invalid GNU triplet '{gnu_type}'"))?;
+        let gnu_type = debarch_to_gnutriplet(&arch).ok_or_else(|| ArchError::Unknown {
+            arch: arch.to_string(),
+        })?;
+        let (gnu_cpu, gnu_system) =
+            gnu_type
+                .split_once('-')
+                .ok_or_else(|| ArchError::InvalidTriplet {
+                    triplet: gnu_type.clone(),
+                })?;
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_GNU_CPU"), gnu_cpu.to_string());
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_GNU_SYSTEM"), gnu_system.to_string());
         env.insert(format!("DEB_{role}_GNU_TYPE"), gnu_type);
diff --git a/src/debian/checksums.rs b/src/debian/checksums.rs
index be041cb..021135e 100644
--- a/src/debian/checksums.rs
+++ b/src/debian/checksums.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,48 @@ pub struct FileChecksums {
     index: HashMap<String, usize>,
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`FileChecksums::parse_field`]: a malformed checksum field
+/// line, naming the field, the offending line and what is wrong with it.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ChecksumParseError {
+    /// The line has other than `checksum size name` columns.
+    #[error(
+        "malformed '{field}' line (expected 'checksum size name', got {columns} columns): '{line}'"
+    )]
+    MalformedLine {
+        /// The checksum field the line came from (`Checksums-Sha256`, ...).
+        field: String,
+        /// The actual number of whitespace-separated columns.
+        columns: usize,
+        /// The offending line.
+        line: String,
+    },
+    /// The size column is not a number.
+    #[error("malformed '{field}' line (size '{size}' is not a number): '{line}'")]
+    BadSize {
+        /// The checksum field the line came from.
+        field: String,
+        /// The non-numeric size text.
+        size: String,
+        /// The offending line.
+        line: String,
+    },
+    /// The digest is not the expected number of lowercase hex characters.
+    #[error(
+        "malformed '{field}' line (digest '{digest}' is not {len} lowercase hex characters): '{line}'"
+    )]
+    BadDigest {
+        /// The checksum field the line came from.
+        field: String,
+        /// The malformed digest.
+        digest: String,
+        /// The expected digest length.
+        len: usize,
+        /// The offending line.
+        line: String,
+    },
+}
+
 impl FileChecksums {
     /// Create an empty registry.
     pub fn new() -> Self {
@@ -234,7 +276,11 @@ impl FileChecksums {
     /// `build::parse_checksum_field` helper (which additionally accepts the
     /// legacy 5-column `Files` layout); the two are intentionally not unified
     /// across modules.
-    pub fn parse_field(kind: ChecksumKind, value: &str) -> Result<Vec<(String, Entry)>, String> {
+    pub fn parse_field(
+        kind: ChecksumKind,
+        value: &str,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<(String, Entry)>, ChecksumParseError> {
+        let field = kind.field_name().to_string();
         let mut entries = Vec::new();
         for line in value.lines() {
             if line.trim().is_empty() {
@@ -242,30 +288,28 @@ impl FileChecksums {
             }
             let tokens: Vec<&str> = line.split_whitespace().collect();
             let [digest, size, name] = tokens.as_slice() else {
-                return Err(format!(
-                    "malformed '{}' line (expected 'checksum size name', got {} \
-                     columns): '{line}'",
-                    kind.field_name(),
-                    tokens.len()
-                ));
+                return Err(ChecksumParseError::MalformedLine {
+                    field,
+                    columns: tokens.len(),
+                    line: line.to_string(),
+                });
             };
-            let size: u64 = size.parse().map_err(|_| {
-                format!(
-                    "malformed '{}' line (size '{size}' is not a number): '{line}'",
-                    kind.field_name()
-                )
+            let size: u64 = size.parse().map_err(|_| ChecksumParseError::BadSize {
+                field: field.clone(),
+                size: size.to_string(),
+                line: line.to_string(),
             })?;
             let digest_ok = digest.len() == kind.digest_len()
                 && digest
                     .bytes()
                     .all(|b| b.is_ascii_digit() || (b'a'..=b'f').contains(&b));
             if !digest_ok {
-                return Err(format!(
-                    "malformed '{}' line (digest '{digest}' is not {} lowercase \
-                     hex characters): '{line}'",
-                    kind.field_name(),
-                    kind.digest_len()
-                ));
+                return Err(ChecksumParseError::BadDigest {
+                    field,
+                    digest: digest.to_string(),
+                    len: kind.digest_len(),
+                    line: line.to_string(),
+                });
             }
             let mut entry = Entry {
                 size,
@@ -401,27 +445,32 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(entries[0].1.size, 12);
 
         // 2 columns: missing the name.
-        let err =
-            FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, &format!("{digest} 12")).unwrap_err();
+        let err = FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, &format!("{digest} 12"))
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("Checksums-Sha512"), "{err}");
         assert!(err.contains(&format!("{digest} 12")), "{err}");
 
         // 4 columns.
         let err =
             FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, &format!(" {digest} 12 bogus a.txt"))
-                .unwrap_err();
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("Checksums-Sha512"), "{err}");
         assert!(err.contains("a.txt"), "{err}");
 
         // Non-numeric size.
         let err =
             FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, &format!(" {digest} twelve a.txt"))
-                .unwrap_err();
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("not a number"), "{err}");
         assert!(err.contains("twelve"), "{err}");
 
         // Digest that is not 128 lowercase hex characters.
-        let err = FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, " abc123 12 a.txt").unwrap_err();
+        let err = FileChecksums::parse_field(ChecksumKind::Sha512, " abc123 12 a.txt")
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("lowercase hex"), "{err}");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/debian/control.rs b/src/debian/control.rs
index 91b4401..cf7de59 100644
--- a/src/debian/control.rs
+++ b/src/debian/control.rs
@@ -403,6 +403,21 @@ pub struct ControlInfo {
     pub binaries: Vec<Paragraph>,
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`ControlInfo::parse_content`]: the content is not shaped
+/// like a `debian/control` file.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ControlParseError {
+    /// The content has no paragraphs at all.
+    #[error("control file has no paragraphs")]
+    NoParagraphs,
+    /// The first (source) stanza carries no `Source` field.
+    #[error("first control paragraph has no 'Source' field")]
+    NoSourceField,
+    /// A binary stanza carries no `Package` field.
+    #[error("binary control paragraph has no 'Package' field")]
+    NoBinaryPackageField,
+}
+
 impl ControlInfo {
     /// Parse a `debian/control` file.
     pub fn parse(path: &Path) -> Result<ControlInfo, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
@@ -416,19 +431,17 @@ impl ControlInfo {
     /// Parse control content from a string.
     ///
     /// Prefer [`std::str::FromStr`] (`"...".parse::<ControlInfo>()`).
-    pub fn parse_content(content: &str) -> Result<ControlInfo, String> {
+    pub fn parse_content(content: &str) -> Result<ControlInfo, ControlParseError> {
         let paragraphs = parse_paragraphs(content);
         let mut iter = paragraphs.into_iter();
-        let source = iter
-            .next()
-            .ok_or_else(|| "control file has no paragraphs".to_string())?;
+        let source = iter.next().ok_or(ControlParseError::NoParagraphs)?;
         if source.get("Source").is_none() {
-            return Err("first control paragraph has no 'Source' field".to_string());
+            return Err(ControlParseError::NoSourceField);
         }
         let binaries: Vec<Paragraph> = iter.collect();
         for bin in &binaries {
             if bin.get("Package").is_none() {
-                return Err("binary control paragraph has no 'Package' field".to_string());
+                return Err(ControlParseError::NoBinaryPackageField);
             }
         }
         Ok(ControlInfo { source, binaries })
@@ -451,7 +464,7 @@ impl ControlInfo {
 }
 
 impl std::str::FromStr for ControlInfo {
-    type Err = String;
+    type Err = ControlParseError;
 
     fn from_str(content: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
         ControlInfo::parse_content(content)
diff --git a/src/debian/deps.rs b/src/debian/deps.rs
index 535f7bb..76d0f76 100644
--- a/src/debian/deps.rs
+++ b/src/debian/deps.rs
@@ -167,22 +167,96 @@ fn profile_name_regex() -> &'static Regex {
     })
 }
 
-/// Parse one simple dependency alternative.
-///
-/// Fails when the text does not match the grammar, when `:native` appears in
-/// a non-build-dependency context, or when the architecture/version/profile
-/// syntax is invalid.
-pub fn parse_simple(dep: &str, build_dep: bool) -> Result<PkgRelation, String> {
+/// Failure of the dependency parsers: a syntactically invalid relation or
+/// restriction formula, an invalid parse option, or an unreadable dpkg
+/// status file.
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ParseError {
+    /// The dependency text does not match the package relation grammar.
+    #[error("cannot parse dependency '{dep}'")]
+    Syntax {
+        /// The unparsable dependency text.
+        dep: String,
+    },
+    /// `:native` appeared outside a build-dependency context.
+    #[error("':native' qualifier only allowed in build dependencies: '{dep}'")]
+    NativeOutsideBuildDep {
+        /// The offending dependency text.
+        dep: String,
+    },
+    /// The version relation operator is not one of `<< <= = >= >>`.
+    #[error("invalid relation '{relation}' in '{dep}'")]
+    InvalidRelation {
+        /// The unrecognized operator.
+        relation: String,
+        /// The dependency text carrying it.
+        dep: String,
+    },
+    /// The constrained version does not parse.
+    #[error("invalid version in dependency '{dep}': {source}")]
+    InvalidVersion {
+        /// The dependency text carrying it.
+        dep: String,
+        /// The version parse failure.
+        source: crate::debian::version::VersionParseError,
+    },
+    /// The `[...]` architecture list does not parse.
+    #[error("invalid architecture list in '{dep}': {source}")]
+    InvalidArchList {
+        /// The dependency text carrying it.
+        dep: String,
+        /// The architecture list failure.
+        source: crate::debian::arch::ArchError,
+    },
+    /// A `[...]` restriction formula reduced to nothing.
+    #[error("empty restriction formula in '{dep}'")]
+    EmptyRestrictions {
+        /// The dependency text carrying it.
+        dep: String,
+    },
+    /// A `<...>` formula carries a non-profile term.
+    #[error("'{formula}' is not a valid build profile restriction formula")]
+    InvalidProfileFormula {
+        /// The offending formula.
+        formula: String,
+    },
+    /// [`ParseOpts::host_arch`] is empty or not a valid architecture.
+    #[error("invalid host_arch {host_arch}")]
+    InvalidHostArch {
+        /// The offending host architecture.
+        host_arch: String,
+    },
+    /// `union` mode saw a clause with several alternatives.
+    #[error("an union dependency can only contain simple dependencies")]
+    UnionNotSimple,
+    /// The dpkg status file could not be read.
+    #[error("cannot read status file '{path}': {source}")]
+    ReadStatus {
+        /// The status file path.
+        path: String,
+        /// The read failure.
+        source: std::io::Error,
+    },
+}
+
+/// Parse one simple (no alternatives) package relation: `pkg`
+/// (`pkg:qualifier`, `pkg (op version)`, `pkg [arch list]`,
+/// `pkg <restrictions>` combinations), validating the pieces: `:native`
+/// is rejected in a non-build-dependency context, or when the
+/// architecture/version/profile syntax is invalid.
+pub fn parse_simple(dep: &str, build_dep: bool) -> Result<PkgRelation, ParseError> {
     let caps = dep_regex()
         .captures(dep)
-        .ok_or_else(|| format!("cannot parse dependency '{dep}'"))?;
+        .ok_or_else(|| ParseError::Syntax {
+            dep: dep.to_string(),
+        })?;
 
     let package = caps[2].to_string();
     let arch_qualifier = caps.get(3).map(|m| m.as_str().to_string());
     if arch_qualifier.as_deref() == Some("native") && !build_dep {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "':native' qualifier only allowed in build dependencies: '{dep}'"
-        ));
+        return Err(ParseError::NativeOutsideBuildDep {
+            dep: dep.to_string(),
+        });
     }
 
     let constraint = match (caps.get(5), caps.get(6)) {
@@ -197,36 +271,49 @@ pub fn parse_simple(dep: &str, build_dep: bool) -> Result<PkgRelation, String> {
                 "=" => Relation::Eq,
                 ">" | ">=" => Relation::Ge,
                 ">>" => Relation::Gt,
-                other => return Err(format!("invalid relation '{other}' in '{dep}'")),
+                other => {
+                    return Err(ParseError::InvalidRelation {
+                        relation: other.to_string(),
+                        dep: dep.to_string(),
+                    });
+                }
             };
-            let version = DebianVersion::parse(version.as_str())
-                .map_err(|e| format!("invalid version in dependency '{dep}': {e}"))?;
+            let version = DebianVersion::parse(version.as_str()).map_err(|source| {
+                ParseError::InvalidVersion {
+                    dep: dep.to_string(),
+                    source,
+                }
+            })?;
             Some(VersionConstraint { relation, version })
         }
         _ => None,
     };
 
-    let arches = match caps.get(8) {
-        Some(list) => Some(
-            arch::list_parse(list.as_str())
-                .map_err(|e| format!("invalid architecture list in '{dep}': {e}"))?,
-        ),
-        None => None,
-    };
+    let arches =
+        match caps.get(8) {
+            Some(list) => Some(arch::list_parse(list.as_str()).map_err(|source| {
+                ParseError::InvalidArchList {
+                    dep: dep.to_string(),
+                    source,
+                }
+            })?),
+            None => None,
+        };
 
     let mut restrictions = Vec::new();
     if let Some(formula) = caps.get(9) {
         for group in restriction_group_regex().captures_iter(formula.as_str()) {
             let terms: Vec<String> = group[1].split_whitespace().map(str::to_string).collect();
             if terms.is_empty() {
-                return Err(format!("empty restriction formula in '{dep}'"));
+                return Err(ParseError::EmptyRestrictions {
+                    dep: dep.to_string(),
+                });
             }
             for term in &terms {
                 if !profile_name_regex().is_match(term) {
-                    return Err(format!(
-                        "'{}' is not a valid build profile restriction formula",
-                        formula.as_str()
-                    ));
+                    return Err(ParseError::InvalidProfileFormula {
+                        formula: formula.as_str().to_string(),
+                    });
                 }
             }
             restrictions.push(terms);
@@ -291,13 +378,19 @@ impl Deps {
     /// alternatives whose architecture or profile restrictions do not apply
     /// are dropped first; clauses losing all their alternatives disappear,
     /// and a fully reduced field yields an empty [`Deps`].
-    pub fn parse(input: &str, opts: &ParseOpts) -> Result<Deps, String> {
+    pub fn parse(input: &str, opts: &ParseOpts) -> Result<Deps, ParseError> {
         Self::parse_inner(input, opts, false)
     }
 
-    fn parse_inner(input: &str, opts: &ParseOpts, reduce_arch_only: bool) -> Result<Deps, String> {
+    fn parse_inner(
+        input: &str,
+        opts: &ParseOpts,
+        reduce_arch_only: bool,
+    ) -> Result<Deps, ParseError> {
         if opts.host_arch.is_empty() || arch::is_invalid(&opts.host_arch, true) {
-            return Err(format!("invalid host_arch {}", opts.host_arch));
+            return Err(ParseError::InvalidHostArch {
+                host_arch: opts.host_arch.clone(),
+            });
         }
 
         // Merge continuation lines and normalize whitespace.
@@ -336,7 +429,7 @@ impl Deps {
                 continue;
             }
             if opts.union && alternatives.len() > 1 {
-                return Err("an union dependency can only contain simple dependencies".to_string());
+                return Err(ParseError::UnionNotSimple);
             }
             clauses.push(alternatives);
         }
@@ -652,9 +745,15 @@ impl Facts {
 
     /// Load a dpkg status file (e.g. `/var/lib/dpkg/status`), binding the
     /// facts to the given host/build architectures.
-    pub fn load_status(path: &Path, host_arch: &str, build_arch: &str) -> Result<Facts, String> {
-        let content = std::fs::read_to_string(path)
-            .map_err(|e| format!("cannot read status file '{}': {}", path.display(), e))?;
+    pub fn load_status(
+        path: &Path,
+        host_arch: &str,
+        build_arch: &str,
+    ) -> Result<Facts, ParseError> {
+        let content = std::fs::read_to_string(path).map_err(|source| ParseError::ReadStatus {
+            path: path.display().to_string(),
+            source,
+        })?;
         Ok(Facts::from_status(&content, host_arch, build_arch))
     }
 
@@ -936,7 +1035,10 @@ impl UnmetReport {
 ///
 /// On success the report is empty; otherwise its [`UnmetReport::message`]
 /// carries the dpkg-compatible diagnostics.
-pub fn check_build_depends(control: &ControlInfo, opts: &CheckOpts) -> Result<UnmetReport, String> {
+pub fn check_build_depends(
+    control: &ControlInfo,
+    opts: &CheckOpts,
+) -> Result<UnmetReport, ParseError> {
     let source = &control.source;
 
     let mut bd_parts: Vec<&str> = Vec::new();
diff --git a/src/debian/files.rs b/src/debian/files.rs
index 08dda15..a855df8 100644
--- a/src/debian/files.rs
+++ b/src/debian/files.rs
@@ -121,6 +121,23 @@ pub struct FilesList {
     files: BTreeMap<String, FilesEntry>,
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`FilesList::parse`]: a malformed `debian/files` line.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum FilesParseError {
+    /// The line has fewer than `filename section priority` columns.
+    #[error("badly formed line: {line}")]
+    BadLine {
+        /// The offending line.
+        line: String,
+    },
+    /// The file name does not match any known artifact shape.
+    #[error("badly formed file name: {name}")]
+    BadFileName {
+        /// The offending file name.
+        name: String,
+    },
+}
+
 impl FilesList {
     /// An empty registry.
     pub fn new() -> Self {
@@ -141,7 +158,7 @@ impl FilesList {
 
     /// Parse a `debian/files` registry from its textual content
     /// (`filename section priority [key=value...]` lines).
-    pub fn parse(content: &str) -> Result<FilesList, String> {
+    pub fn parse(content: &str) -> Result<FilesList, FilesParseError> {
         let mut list = FilesList::new();
         for line in content.lines() {
             if line.trim().is_empty() {
@@ -149,10 +166,14 @@ impl FilesList {
             }
             let tokens: Vec<&str> = line.split_whitespace().collect();
             if tokens.len() < 3 {
-                return Err(format!("badly formed line: {line}"));
+                return Err(FilesParseError::BadLine {
+                    line: line.to_string(),
+                });
             }
-            let mut entry = parse_filename(tokens[0])
-                .ok_or_else(|| format!("badly formed file name: {}", tokens[0]))?;
+            let mut entry =
+                parse_filename(tokens[0]).ok_or_else(|| FilesParseError::BadFileName {
+                    name: tokens[0].to_string(),
+                })?;
             entry.section = tokens[1].to_string();
             entry.priority = tokens[2].to_string();
             for attr in &tokens[3..] {
diff --git a/src/debian/tests_control.rs b/src/debian/tests_control.rs
index 66f6a77..a619b87 100644
--- a/src/debian/tests_control.rs
+++ b/src/debian/tests_control.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,30 @@ pub struct TestsControl {
     pub tests: Vec<Test>,
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`TestsControl::parse_content`]: a malformed stanza, naming
+/// it by its 1-based position.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum TestsControlParseError {
+    /// The stanza carries both `Tests:` and `Test-Command:`.
+    #[error("stanza {stanza}: Tests and Test-Command are mutually exclusive")]
+    MutuallyExclusive {
+        /// The 1-based stanza position.
+        stanza: usize,
+    },
+    /// The stanza carries neither `Tests:` nor `Test-Command:`.
+    #[error("stanza {stanza}: missing a Tests or Test-Command field")]
+    MissingField {
+        /// The 1-based stanza position.
+        stanza: usize,
+    },
+    /// `test-name:` appeared on a `Tests:` (script list) stanza.
+    #[error("stanza {stanza}: test-name only applies to a Test-Command stanza")]
+    TestNameOnScripts {
+        /// The 1-based stanza position.
+        stanza: usize,
+    },
+}
+
 impl TestsControl {
     /// Parse the test control file at `path`.
     pub fn parse(path: &Path) -> Result<TestsControl, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
@@ -69,7 +93,7 @@ impl TestsControl {
     /// `Test-Command:` stanza. A file without stanzas parses to an empty
     /// [`TestsControl`] — whether the package declares tests at all is
     /// the caller's check (`Testsuite: autopkgtest`).
-    pub fn parse_content(content: &str) -> Result<TestsControl, String> {
+    pub fn parse_content(content: &str) -> Result<TestsControl, TestsControlParseError> {
         let mut tests_control = TestsControl::default();
         let mut command_index = 0usize;
         for (index, paragraph) in parse_paragraphs(content).iter().enumerate() {
@@ -85,20 +109,14 @@ impl TestsControl {
 
             match (tests_field, command_field) {
                 (Some(_), Some(_)) => {
-                    return Err(format!(
-                        "stanza {stanza}: Tests and Test-Command are mutually exclusive"
-                    ));
+                    return Err(TestsControlParseError::MutuallyExclusive { stanza });
                 }
                 (None, None) => {
-                    return Err(format!(
-                        "stanza {stanza}: missing a Tests or Test-Command field"
-                    ));
+                    return Err(TestsControlParseError::MissingField { stanza });
                 }
                 (Some(scripts), None) => {
                     if test_name.is_some() {
-                        return Err(format!(
-                            "stanza {stanza}: test-name only applies to a Test-Command stanza"
-                        ));
+                        return Err(TestsControlParseError::TestNameOnScripts { stanza });
                     }
                     for script in scripts.split_whitespace() {
                         tests_control.tests.push(Test {
@@ -259,7 +277,9 @@ mod tests {
                 "only applies",
             ),
         ] {
-            let error = TestsControl::parse_content(content).unwrap_err();
+            let error = TestsControl::parse_content(content)
+                .unwrap_err()
+                .to_string();
             assert!(error.contains(expected), "{error}");
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/debian/version.rs b/src/debian/version.rs
index 47f7e95..f2a54f7 100644
--- a/src/debian/version.rs
+++ b/src/debian/version.rs
@@ -12,19 +12,65 @@ pub struct DebianVersion {
     pub debian_revision: Option<String>,
 }
 
+/// Failure of [`DebianVersion::parse`]: the string is outside the
+/// `[epoch:]upstream[-revision]` syntax.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum VersionParseError {
+    /// The string, once trimmed, is empty.
+    #[error("empty version string")]
+    Empty,
+    /// The epoch (before the first `:`) is not a number.
+    #[error("invalid epoch '{epoch}' in version '{raw}'")]
+    InvalidEpoch {
+        /// The non-numeric epoch text.
+        epoch: String,
+        /// The whole version string.
+        raw: String,
+    },
+    /// Nothing precedes the revision separator: no upstream version.
+    #[error("missing upstream version in '{raw}'")]
+    MissingUpstream {
+        /// The whole version string.
+        raw: String,
+    },
+    /// A character outside dpkg's upstream alphabet.
+    #[error("invalid character '{c}' in version '{raw}'")]
+    InvalidUpstreamChar {
+        /// The offending character.
+        c: char,
+        /// The whole version string.
+        raw: String,
+    },
+    /// A trailing hyphen: the revision number is empty (dpkg rejects it).
+    #[error("empty debian revision in '{raw}'")]
+    EmptyRevision {
+        /// The whole version string.
+        raw: String,
+    },
+    /// A character outside dpkg's revision alphabet.
+    #[error("invalid character '{c}' in revision of version '{raw}'")]
+    InvalidRevisionChar {
+        /// The offending character.
+        c: char,
+        /// The whole version string.
+        raw: String,
+    },
+}
+
 impl DebianVersion {
     /// Parse and validate a Debian version string.
-    pub fn parse(raw: &str) -> Result<DebianVersion, String> {
+    pub fn parse(raw: &str) -> Result<DebianVersion, VersionParseError> {
         let raw = raw.trim();
         if raw.is_empty() {
-            return Err("empty version string".to_string());
+            return Err(VersionParseError::Empty);
         }
 
         let (epoch, rest) = match raw.split_once(':') {
             Some((e, r)) => {
-                let epoch: u32 = e
-                    .parse()
-                    .map_err(|_| format!("invalid epoch '{}' in version '{}'", e, raw))?;
+                let epoch: u32 = e.parse().map_err(|_| VersionParseError::InvalidEpoch {
+                    epoch: e.to_string(),
+                    raw: raw.to_string(),
+                })?;
                 (Some(epoch), r)
             }
             None => (None, raw),
@@ -37,14 +83,19 @@ impl DebianVersion {
         };
 
         if upstream.is_empty() {
-            return Err(format!("missing upstream version in '{}'", raw));
+            return Err(VersionParseError::MissingUpstream {
+                raw: raw.to_string(),
+            });
         }
         for c in upstream.chars() {
             if !(c.is_ascii_alphanumeric()
                 || matches!(c, '.' | '+' | '-' | '~' | ':')
                 || !c.is_ascii())
             {
-                return Err(format!("invalid character '{}' in version '{}'", c, raw));
+                return Err(VersionParseError::InvalidUpstreamChar {
+                    c,
+                    raw: raw.to_string(),
+                });
             }
         }
         if let Some(rev) = &debian_revision {
@@ -52,14 +103,16 @@ impl DebianVersion {
                 // dpkg rejects a trailing hyphen: "bad syntax: revision
                 // number is empty". Native versions (no `-` at all) are
                 // handled above and stay valid.
-                return Err(format!("empty debian revision in '{}'", raw));
+                return Err(VersionParseError::EmptyRevision {
+                    raw: raw.to_string(),
+                });
             }
             for c in rev.chars() {
                 if !(c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || matches!(c, '.' | '+' | '~') || !c.is_ascii()) {
-                    return Err(format!(
-                        "invalid character '{}' in revision of version '{}'",
-                        c, raw
-                    ));
+                    return Err(VersionParseError::InvalidRevisionChar {
+                        c,
+                        raw: raw.to_string(),
+                    });
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -340,7 +393,7 @@ mod tests {
     /// the *last* hyphen (upstream `1.0-` + revision `1`).
     #[test]
     fn version_empty_revision() {
-        let err = DebianVersion::parse("1.0-").unwrap_err();
+        let err = DebianVersion::parse("1.0-").unwrap_err().to_string();
         assert!(err.contains("empty"), "unexpected message: {err}");
 
         assert!(DebianVersion::parse("1.0-").is_err());
diff --git a/src/distro_info.rs b/src/distro_info.rs
index 9e7fb6c..45505af 100644
--- a/src/distro_info.rs
+++ b/src/distro_info.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 use crate::data::embed_data;
 use chrono::NaiveDate;
-use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::error::Error;
 use std::path::Path;
+use std::sync::LazyLock;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -104,20 +104,20 @@ embed_data! {
     static ref DATA: Data = "../data/distro_info.yml"
 }
 
-lazy_static! {
-    // Shared HTTP client used for all outgoing plain requests: timeouts keep
-    // a hanging remote (connect or transfer) from stalling pkh indefinitely.
-    // The short pool idle timeout and TCP keepalive avoid reusing keep-alive
-    // connections that the remote closed in the meantime, which surfaces as
-    // spurious 'error sending request' failures on busy mirrors/CDNs.
-    static ref HTTP_CLIENT: reqwest::Client = reqwest::Client::builder()
+// Shared HTTP client used for all outgoing plain requests: timeouts keep
+// a hanging remote (connect or transfer) from stalling pkh indefinitely.
+// The short pool idle timeout and TCP keepalive avoid reusing keep-alive
+// connections that the remote closed in the meantime, which surfaces as
+// spurious 'error sending request' failures on busy mirrors/CDNs.
+static HTTP_CLIENT: LazyLock<reqwest::Client> = LazyLock::new(|| {
+    reqwest::Client::builder()
         .connect_timeout(Duration::from_secs(10))
         .timeout(Duration::from_secs(30))
         .pool_idle_timeout(Duration::from_secs(10))
         .tcp_keepalive(Duration::from_secs(30))
         .build()
-        .expect("building the shared HTTP client with static options cannot fail");
-}
+        .expect("building the shared HTTP client with static options cannot fail")
+});
 
 /// Shared HTTP client with a connect timeout (10s) and a total request
 /// timeout (30s), to be used for all outgoing plain HTTP(S) requests
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 1c8854b..a1d7f4b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -63,13 +63,6 @@ pub(crate) mod test_support;
 /// Utility functions
 pub(crate) mod utils;
 
-/// Optional callback function (taking 4 arguments)
-/// - Name of the current main operation (e.g. pulling package)
-/// - Name of the current nested operation (e.g. cloning git repo)
-/// - Progress, position, index of current operation (e.g. amount of data downloaded)
-/// - Total amount for current operation (e.g. size of the file to download)
-pub type ProgressCallback<'a> = Option<&'a dyn Fn(&str, &str, usize, usize)>;
-
 /// Returns the architecture of current CPU, debian-compatible
 pub fn get_current_arch() -> String {
     match std::env::consts::ARCH {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8005243..dff078c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ fn main() {
                 .unwrap_or("");
             let archive = sub_matches.get_one::<bool>("archive").unwrap_or(&false);
 
-            let (pb, progress_callback) = pkh::ui::create_progress_bar(&multi);
+            let view = pkh::ui::PullView::new(&multi);
 
             // Convert PPA to base URL if provided
             let base_url = match ppa.map(pkh::package_info::split_ppa) {
@@ -692,17 +692,17 @@ fn main() {
                     dist,
                     base_url.as_deref(),
                     repository,
-                    Some(&progress_callback),
+                    &view,
                 )
                 .await?;
-                pkh::pull::pull(&package_info, None, Some(&progress_callback), *archive).await
+                pkh::pull::pull(&package_info, None, &view, *archive).await
             }) {
-                pb.finish_and_clear();
+                // exit(1) below would skip the view's Drop
+                drop(view);
                 error!("{}", e);
                 std::process::exit(1);
             }
-            pb.finish_and_clear();
-            multi.remove(&pb);
+            drop(view);
             info!("Done.");
         }
         Some(("chlog", sub_matches)) => {
diff --git a/src/new/options.rs b/src/new/options.rs
index 12c9917..f40ad22 100644
--- a/src/new/options.rs
+++ b/src/new/options.rs
@@ -63,22 +63,12 @@ impl TemplateId {
     }
 
     /// Parse a CLI identifier, accepting exactly the registered spellings.
-    pub fn parse(s: &str) -> Result<TemplateId, String> {
+    pub fn parse(s: &str) -> Result<TemplateId, ValidationError> {
         Self::all()
             .iter()
             .copied()
             .find(|id| id.as_str() == s)
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                format!(
-                    "Unknown language/template '{}'. Supported values are: {}.",
-                    s,
-                    Self::all()
-                        .iter()
-                        .map(|id| id.as_str())
-                        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
-                        .join(", ")
-                )
-            })
+            .ok_or_else(|| ValidationError::UnknownTemplate { id: s.to_string() })
     }
 
     /// Human-readable menu label of this template, as offered by the wizard
@@ -407,21 +397,132 @@ pub struct NewCli {
     pub defaults: bool,
 }
 
+/// Failure of one of the scaffold option validators ([`validate_source_name`],
+/// [`validate_command`], [`validate_upstream_version`], [`parse_maintainer`],
+/// [`validate_homepage`], [`validate_depends`], [`validate_orig_path`],
+/// [`check_file_collisions`], [`TemplateId::parse`]): what the wizard re-asks
+/// about, carrying the pieces callers may want to match on.
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ValidationError {
+    /// The source package name is shorter than dpkg's 2-character minimum.
+    #[error("'{name}' is too short: package names need at least 2 characters")]
+    SourceNameTooShort {
+        /// The rejected name.
+        name: String,
+    },
+    /// The source package name is outside dpkg's charset or shape.
+    #[error(
+        "'{}' is not a valid package name: names must be lowercase, start with a letter or digit and may only contain [a-z0-9+.-]",
+        name
+    )]
+    InvalidSourceName {
+        /// The rejected name.
+        name: String,
+    },
+    /// No installed command was given.
+    #[error("the command name must not be empty")]
+    EmptyCommand,
+    /// The command name is not a lowercase identifier.
+    #[error(
+        "'{}' is not a valid command name: commands must be a lowercase identifier (letters, digits, + - . _), e.g. 'mytool'",
+        command
+    )]
+    InvalidCommand {
+        /// The rejected command name.
+        command: String,
+    },
+    /// Upstream versions should start with a digit (dpkg recommendation,
+    /// enforced here).
+    #[error("upstream versions should start with a digit")]
+    UpstreamNotDigit,
+    /// `-` is the Debian revision separator.
+    #[error(
+        "upstream versions must not contain '-': the Debian revision is appended automatically"
+    )]
+    UpstreamContainsDash,
+    /// The upstream version composed with the Debian revision does not
+    /// parse as a Debian version.
+    #[error("'{version}' is not a valid Debian version: {source}")]
+    InvalidVersion {
+        /// The composed `upstream-revision` string.
+        version: String,
+        /// The version parse failure.
+        source: crate::debian::version::VersionParseError,
+    },
+    /// The maintainer is not of the form `Name <email>`.
+    #[error("'{s}' is not a valid maintainer: expected the form 'Name <email>'")]
+    MaintainerShape {
+        /// The rejected maintainer string.
+        s: String,
+    },
+    /// The maintainer name (before the angle brackets) is empty.
+    #[error("'{s}': the maintainer name must not be empty")]
+    MaintainerNameEmpty {
+        /// The rejected maintainer string.
+        s: String,
+    },
+    /// The maintainer email does not carry exactly one `@`.
+    #[error("'{s}': the maintainer email must contain exactly one '@'")]
+    MaintainerEmailAt {
+        /// The rejected maintainer string.
+        s: String,
+    },
+    /// The maintainer email carries whitespace.
+    #[error("'{s}': the maintainer email must not contain whitespace")]
+    MaintainerEmailWhitespace {
+        /// The rejected maintainer string.
+        s: String,
+    },
+    /// The homepage is not an http(s) URL.
+    #[error("'{url}' is not a valid homepage: expected an http:// or https:// URL")]
+    InvalidHomepage {
+        /// The rejected URL.
+        url: String,
+    },
+    /// The Depends list does not parse as package relations.
+    #[error("Invalid Depends list '{list}': {source}")]
+    InvalidDepends {
+        /// The rejected list.
+        list: String,
+        /// The relation parse failure.
+        source: crate::debian::deps::ParseError,
+    },
+    /// The orig tarball is neither an http(s) URL nor an existing file.
+    #[error(
+        "'{path}' is not an http(s) URL and not an existing file: --orig-path must point at a tarball to repack"
+    )]
+    InvalidOrigPath {
+        /// The rejected path or URL.
+        path: String,
+    },
+    /// The language/template id is not one of the registered spellings.
+    #[error("Unknown language/template '{}'. Supported values are: {}.", id, TemplateId::all().iter().map(|id| id.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(", "))]
+    UnknownTemplate {
+        /// The unknown id.
+        id: String,
+    },
+    /// A template generated the same file twice.
+    #[error("internal error: file '{path}' was generated more than once")]
+    GeneratedTwice {
+        /// The duplicated path.
+        path: String,
+    },
+}
+
 /// Validate a Debian source package name: `^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9+.\-]+$` with a
 /// minimum length of 2 (dpkg rules).
-pub fn validate_source_name(name: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub fn validate_source_name(name: &str) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     static NAME_REGEX: std::sync::OnceLock<Regex> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
     let regex = NAME_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9+.\-]+$").unwrap());
     if name.len() < 2 {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "'{name}' is too short: package names need at least 2 characters"
-        ));
+        return Err(ValidationError::SourceNameTooShort {
+            name: name.to_string(),
+        });
     }
     if !regex.is_match(name) {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "'{name}' is not a valid package name: names must be lowercase, \
-             start with a letter or digit and may only contain [a-z0-9+.-]"
-        ));
+        return Err(ValidationError::InvalidSourceName {
+            name: name.to_string(),
+        });
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -473,17 +574,16 @@ pub fn sanitize_name(input: &str) -> Option<String> {
 /// `meson.build` and the `[project.scripts]` table, so uppercase letters,
 /// whitespace, quotes and shell metacharacters are rejected here instead of
 /// generating broken install lines and build files.
-pub fn validate_command(command: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub fn validate_command(command: &str) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     static COMMAND_REGEX: std::sync::OnceLock<Regex> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
     let regex = COMMAND_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9+.\-_]*$").unwrap());
     if command.is_empty() {
-        return Err("the command name must not be empty".to_string());
+        return Err(ValidationError::EmptyCommand);
     }
     if !regex.is_match(command) {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "'{command}' is not a valid command name: commands must be a \
-             lowercase identifier (letters, digits, + - . _), e.g. 'mytool'"
-        ));
+        return Err(ValidationError::InvalidCommand {
+            command: command.to_string(),
+        });
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -492,65 +592,60 @@ pub fn validate_command(command: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
 /// recommendation, enforced here) and survive [`DebianVersion::parse`] once
 /// composed with the Debian revision. It must not contain `-` (the revision
 /// separator).
-pub fn validate_upstream_version(upstream: &str, revision: u32) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub fn validate_upstream_version(upstream: &str, revision: u32) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     if !upstream.starts_with(|c: char| c.is_ascii_digit()) {
-        return Err("upstream versions should start with a digit".to_string());
+        return Err(ValidationError::UpstreamNotDigit);
     }
     if upstream.contains('-') {
-        return Err(
-            "upstream versions must not contain '-': the Debian revision is \
-             appended automatically"
-                .to_string(),
-        );
+        return Err(ValidationError::UpstreamContainsDash);
     }
     let composed = format!("{}-{}", upstream, revision);
     DebianVersion::parse(&composed)
         .map(|_| ())
-        .map_err(|e| format!("'{composed}' is not a valid Debian version: {e}"))
+        .map_err(|source| ValidationError::InvalidVersion {
+            version: composed.clone(),
+            source,
+        })
 }
 
 /// Parse a `Name <email>` maintainer string: the name must be non-empty and
 /// the email must contain exactly one `@` with no whitespace inside the
 /// angle brackets.
-pub fn parse_maintainer(s: &str) -> Result<(String, String), String> {
+pub fn parse_maintainer(s: &str) -> Result<(String, String), ValidationError> {
     static MAINTAINER_REGEX: std::sync::OnceLock<Regex> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
     let regex = MAINTAINER_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"^(.+?)\s*<([^<>]*)>\s*$").unwrap());
-    let caps = regex.captures(s.trim()).ok_or_else(|| {
-        format!("'{s}' is not a valid maintainer: expected the form 'Name <email>'")
-    })?;
+    let caps = regex
+        .captures(s.trim())
+        .ok_or_else(|| ValidationError::MaintainerShape { s: s.to_string() })?;
     let name = caps[1].trim().to_string();
     let email = caps[2].trim().to_string();
     if name.is_empty() {
-        return Err(format!("'{s}': the maintainer name must not be empty"));
+        return Err(ValidationError::MaintainerNameEmpty { s: s.to_string() });
     }
     if !email.contains('@') || email.matches('@').count() > 1 {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "'{s}': the maintainer email must contain exactly one '@'"
-        ));
+        return Err(ValidationError::MaintainerEmailAt { s: s.to_string() });
     }
     if email.chars().any(char::is_whitespace) {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "'{s}': the maintainer email must not contain whitespace"
-        ));
+        return Err(ValidationError::MaintainerEmailWhitespace { s: s.to_string() });
     }
     Ok((name, email))
 }
 
 /// Validate a homepage URL: it must carry an `http(s)://` prefix.
-pub fn validate_homepage(url: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub fn validate_homepage(url: &str) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     if url.starts_with("http://") || url.starts_with("https://") {
         Ok(())
     } else {
-        Err(format!(
-            "'{url}' is not a valid homepage: expected an http:// or https:// URL"
-        ))
+        Err(ValidationError::InvalidHomepage {
+            url: url.to_string(),
+        })
     }
 }
 
 /// Validate a comma-separated runtime Depends list (the metapackage flavor)
 /// by parsing it with [`Deps::parse`] and re-rendering every clause
 /// canonically.
-pub fn validate_depends(list: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
+pub fn validate_depends(list: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, ValidationError> {
     let opts = ParseOpts {
         host_arch: crate::get_current_arch(),
         build_arch: crate::get_current_arch(),
@@ -559,8 +654,10 @@ pub fn validate_depends(list: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
         union: false,
         build_dep: false,
     };
-    let deps =
-        Deps::parse(list, &opts).map_err(|e| format!("Invalid Depends list '{list}': {e}"))?;
+    let deps = Deps::parse(list, &opts).map_err(|source| ValidationError::InvalidDepends {
+        list: list.to_string(),
+        source,
+    })?;
     Ok(deps
         .clauses()
         .map(|clause| {
@@ -620,7 +717,7 @@ pub async fn resolve(cli: NewCli) -> Result<NewOptions, String> {
     // (nothing to detect for a fresh skeleton), else --defaults picks the
     // empty template.
     let template = match &cli.lang {
-        Some(lang) => Some(TemplateId::parse(lang)?),
+        Some(lang) => Some(TemplateId::parse(lang).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?),
         None => match &source_dir {
             SourceDir::Skeleton => {
                 if cli.defaults {
@@ -706,7 +803,7 @@ pub async fn resolve(cli: NewCli) -> Result<NewOptions, String> {
     }
 
     // Everything below has a default and is validated as it is resolved.
-    validate_source_name(&name)?;
+    validate_source_name(&name).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
     // Source format: explicit flags win (--native / --quilt, mutually
     // exclusive), otherwise the mode decides — a fresh, self-authored
@@ -769,7 +866,7 @@ pub async fn resolve(cli: NewCli) -> Result<NewOptions, String> {
 
     let homepage = match &cli.homepage {
         Some(h) => {
-            validate_homepage(h)?;
+            validate_homepage(h).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
             Some(h.clone())
         }
         None => None,
@@ -780,10 +877,10 @@ pub async fn resolve(cli: NewCli) -> Result<NewOptions, String> {
     let command = cli.command.unwrap_or_else(|| name.clone());
     // The default is the already-validated package name (a subset of the
     // command charset), so only an explicit --command/wizard answer can fail.
-    validate_command(&command)?;
+    validate_command(&command).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
     let maintainer = match &cli.maintainer {
-        Some(m) => parse_maintainer(m)?,
+        Some(m) => parse_maintainer(m).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?,
         None => crate::changelog::get_maintainer_info().map_err(|e| {
             format!(
                 "Could not determine the maintainer ({e}). \
@@ -815,7 +912,7 @@ pub async fn resolve(cli: NewCli) -> Result<NewOptions, String> {
     let depends = if joined.trim().is_empty() {
         Vec::new()
     } else {
-        validate_depends(&joined)?
+        validate_depends(&joined).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
     };
 
     Ok(NewOptions {
@@ -874,7 +971,7 @@ fn resolve_orig_origin(
             let source = cli.orig_path.clone().ok_or_else(|| {
                 "--orig-from path requires --orig-path <tarball file or URL>".to_string()
             })?;
-            validate_orig_path(&source)?;
+            validate_orig_path(&source).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
             OrigOrigin::Provided { source }
         }
         Some("git") => {
@@ -935,27 +1032,26 @@ fn resolve_orig_origin(
 /// Validate a `--orig-path` value (and the wizard's tarball answer): either
 /// an http(s) URL (downloaded at scaffold time) or an existing local
 /// tarball.
-pub fn validate_orig_path(source: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub fn validate_orig_path(source: &str) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     if source.starts_with("http://") || source.starts_with("https://") {
         return Ok(());
     }
     if Path::new(source).is_file() {
         return Ok(());
     }
-    Err(format!(
-        "'{source}' is not an http(s) URL and not an existing file: \
-         --orig-path must point at a tarball to repack"
-    ))
+    Err(ValidationError::InvalidOrigPath {
+        path: source.to_string(),
+    })
 }
 
 /// Set of names no template may produce twice (collision check).
-pub(crate) fn check_file_collisions(paths: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
+pub(crate) fn check_file_collisions(paths: &[String]) -> Result<(), ValidationError> {
     let mut seen: HashSet<&String> = HashSet::new();
     for path in paths {
         if !seen.insert(path) {
-            return Err(format!(
-                "internal error: file '{path}' was generated more than once"
-            ));
+            return Err(ValidationError::GeneratedTwice {
+                path: path.to_string(),
+            });
         }
     }
     Ok(())
@@ -1222,7 +1318,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn collision_detection() {
         assert!(check_file_collisions(&["a".into(), "b".into()]).is_ok());
-        let err = check_file_collisions(&["a".into(), "b".into(), "a".into()]).unwrap_err();
+        let err = check_file_collisions(&["a".into(), "b".into(), "a".into()])
+            .unwrap_err()
+            .to_string();
         assert!(err.contains('a'));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/new/questions.rs b/src/new/questions.rs
index 6dc14fa..57a7c80 100644
--- a/src/new/questions.rs
+++ b/src/new/questions.rs
@@ -96,12 +96,9 @@ async fn run_wizard(
     //    basename of the current directory.
     if cli.name.is_none() {
         let default = default_package_name(&cwd, probe.as_ref());
-        let answer = ask_text(
-            prompter,
-            "Package name",
-            &default,
-            options::validate_source_name,
-        )?;
+        let answer = ask_text(prompter, "Package name", &default, |name: &str| {
+            options::validate_source_name(name).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        })?;
         cli.name = Some(answer);
     }
 
@@ -265,7 +262,9 @@ async fn run_wizard(
             .or_else(|| origin.as_ref().and_then(GitOrigin::git_version))
             .unwrap_or_else(|| "0.1.0".to_string());
         let revision = cli.revision.unwrap_or(1);
-        let validate = move |version: &str| options::validate_upstream_version(version, revision);
+        let validate = move |version: &str| {
+            options::validate_upstream_version(version, revision).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        };
         let answer = ask_text(prompter, "Upstream version", &default, validate)?;
         cli.upstream_version = Some(answer.clone());
 
@@ -321,7 +320,8 @@ async fn run_wizard(
             .expect("answer comes from the choice list");
         cli.orig_from = Some(chosen.to_string());
         if chosen == "path" {
-            let validator = |path: &str| options::validate_orig_path(path);
+            let validator =
+                |path: &str| options::validate_orig_path(path).map_err(|e| e.to_string());
             let path = prompter.text("Tarball path or URL", "", Some(&validator))?;
             cli.orig_path = Some(path);
         }
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ async fn run_wizard(
             if url.is_empty() {
                 Ok(())
             } else {
-                options::validate_homepage(url)
+                options::validate_homepage(url).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
             }
         };
         let answer = ask_text(prompter, "Homepage (blank to skip)", &default, validate)?;
@@ -400,12 +400,9 @@ async fn run_wizard(
             .as_ref()
             .and_then(|p| p.command.clone())
             .unwrap_or_else(|| cli.name.clone().unwrap_or_default());
-        let command = ask_text(
-            prompter,
-            "Command name",
-            &default,
-            options::validate_command,
-        )?;
+        let command = ask_text(prompter, "Command name", &default, |command: &str| {
+            options::validate_command(command).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        })?;
         cli.command = Some(command);
     }
 
@@ -430,7 +427,11 @@ async fn run_wizard(
                  DEBEMAIL and no git user config): answer as 'Name <email>'"
             );
         }
-        let validate = |answer: &str| options::parse_maintainer(answer).map(|_| ());
+        let validate = |answer: &str| {
+            options::parse_maintainer(answer)
+                .map(|_| ())
+                .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        };
         cli.maintainer = Some(ask_text(prompter, "Maintainer", &default, validate)?);
     }
 
@@ -480,7 +481,11 @@ async fn run_wizard(
 
     // 13. Metapackage Depends (empty template only).
     if template == TemplateId::EMPTY && cli.depends.is_empty() {
-        let validate = |answer: &str| options::validate_depends(answer).map(|_| ());
+        let validate = |answer: &str| {
+            options::validate_depends(answer)
+                .map(|_| ())
+                .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        };
         let answer = ask_text(
             prompter,
             "Depends (metapackage, comma-separated, blank for an empty base)",
@@ -1496,7 +1501,9 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(options::validate_upstream_version("v1.0", 1).is_err());
         assert!(options::validate_upstream_version("1.0.0", 1).is_ok());
 
-        let validate = |version: &str| options::validate_upstream_version(version, 1);
+        let validate = |version: &str| {
+            options::validate_upstream_version(version, 1).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+        };
         // Invalid probes are not offered as the default...
         assert_eq!(offered_default("1.0-2", &validate), "");
         assert_eq!(offered_default("v1.0", &validate), "");
@@ -1532,7 +1539,7 @@ mod tests {
         // The upstream-version scenario end to end: Enter on an invalid
         // probed default (offered as none) fails instead of taking it
         // verbatim, while a valid default is taken.
-        let version = |v: &str| options::validate_upstream_version(v, 1);
+        let version = |v: &str| options::validate_upstream_version(v, 1).map_err(|e| e.to_string());
         assert!(accept_answer("", "1.0-2", &version).is_err());
         assert_eq!(
             accept_answer("", "1.0.0", &version),
diff --git a/src/new/templates/mod.rs b/src/new/templates/mod.rs
index 9e2bdde..9576183 100644
--- a/src/new/templates/mod.rs
+++ b/src/new/templates/mod.rs
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ pub mod rust;
 pub mod shell;
 
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::sync::LazyLock;
 
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
@@ -478,15 +479,13 @@ static TEMPLATE_SOURCES: &[TemplateSources] = &[
     },
 ];
 
-lazy_static::lazy_static! {
-    /// The parsed registry: manifest data plus resolved hooks, in the
-    /// order of [`TEMPLATE_SOURCES`] (wizard menu = detection priority).
-    static ref REGISTRY: Vec<Template> = build_registry();
-    /// The registry ids ([`Template::id`]), cached for the `TemplateId`
-    /// accessors.
-    static ref REGISTRY_IDS: Vec<TemplateId> =
-        REGISTRY.iter().map(Template::id).collect();
-}
+/// The parsed registry: manifest data plus resolved hooks, in the
+/// order of [`TEMPLATE_SOURCES`] (wizard menu = detection priority).
+static REGISTRY: LazyLock<Vec<Template>> = LazyLock::new(build_registry);
+/// The registry ids ([`Template::id`]), cached for the `TemplateId`
+/// accessors.
+static REGISTRY_IDS: LazyLock<Vec<TemplateId>> =
+    LazyLock::new(|| REGISTRY.iter().map(Template::id).collect());
 
 /// Parse and cross-check every embedded manifest into the registry. The
 /// files ship inside the binary, so anything malformed here is a build-time
diff --git a/src/package_info.rs b/src/package_info.rs
index cb9b07f..42d766e 100644
--- a/src/package_info.rs
+++ b/src/package_info.rs
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ use std::error::Error;
 use std::io::Read;
 use xz2::read::XzDecoder;
 
-use crate::ProgressCallback;
 use crate::apt::release::{self, VerifiedRelease};
+use crate::report::BuildView;
 use crossterm::style::Stylize;
 use log::{debug, warn};
 
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ async fn find_package(
     version: Option<&str>,
     base_url: Option<&str>,
     launchpad_vcs: Option<String>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<PackageInfo, Box<dyn Error>> {
     let series_list = crate::distro_info::get_ordered_series_name(dist).await?;
 
@@ -500,9 +500,7 @@ async fn find_package(
     let mut attempt_errors: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
 
     for (i, series) in series_list.iter().enumerate() {
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb("", &format!("Checking {}...", series), i, series_list.len());
-        }
+        view.progress(&format!("Checking {series}..."), i, series_list.len());
 
         let pockets = if pocket.is_empty() {
             crate::distro_info::get_dist_pockets(dist)?
@@ -770,16 +768,9 @@ pub async fn lookup_repository(
     version: Option<&str>,
     repo_url: &str,
     series: Option<&str>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<PackageInfo, Box<dyn Error>> {
-    if let Some(cb) = progress {
-        cb(
-            &format!("Fetching repository info from {}...", repo_url),
-            "",
-            0,
-            0,
-        );
-    }
+    view.message(&format!("Fetching repository info from {repo_url}..."));
 
     // Attempt to authenticate the repository. In non-strict mode only the
     // absence of a Release file (or of a way to verify it) is tolerated:
@@ -814,14 +805,7 @@ pub async fn lookup_repository(
         get_flat_repo_series(repo_url).await?
     };
 
-    if let Some(cb) = progress {
-        cb(
-            &format!("Resolving package info for {}...", package),
-            "",
-            0,
-            0,
-        );
-    }
+    view.message(&format!("Resolving package info for {package}..."));
 
     let sources = get_flat_repo_sources(repo_url, verified.as_ref()).await?;
     let stanza = parse_sources(&sources, package, version)?
@@ -855,7 +839,7 @@ pub async fn lookup_repository(
 /// * `dist` - Optional distribution name (e.g., "ubuntu", "debian")
 /// * `base_url` - Optional base URL for the package archive (e.g., "https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/user/ppa/ubuntu/")
 /// * `repository` - Optional URL of an external flat repository suite (e.g., "https://pkg.noctalia.dev/deb/resolute/")
-/// * `progress` - Optional progress callback
+/// * `view` - Build view receiving the lookup progress
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 pub async fn lookup(
     package: &str,
@@ -865,12 +849,12 @@ pub async fn lookup(
     dist: Option<&str>,
     base_url: Option<&str>,
     repository: Option<&str>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<PackageInfo, Box<dyn Error>> {
     // External flat repository: the URL is the suite root, distribution
     // resolution and pocket logic do not apply
     if let Some(repo_url) = repository {
-        return lookup_repository(package, version, repo_url, series, progress).await;
+        return lookup_repository(package, version, repo_url, series, view).await;
     }
 
     // Resolve the distribution early so we can check Launchpad once
@@ -887,9 +871,7 @@ pub async fn lookup(
     // Check Launchpad repository once for Ubuntu packages, rather than
     // once per series/pocket combination inside get().
     let launchpad_vcs = if resolved_dist == "ubuntu" && base_url.is_none() {
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb("", &format!("Checking Launchpad for {}...", package), 0, 0);
-        }
+        view.message(&format!("Checking Launchpad for {package}..."));
         match check_launchpad_repo(package).await {
             Ok(Some(lp_url)) => {
                 debug!("Found Launchpad URL: {}", lp_url);
@@ -910,34 +892,20 @@ pub async fn lookup(
 
     // Obtain the package information, either directly in a series or with a search in all series
     let package_info = if let Some(s) = series {
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb(
-                &format!("Resolving package info for {}...", package),
-                "",
-                0,
-                0,
-            );
-        }
+        view.message(&format!("Resolving package info for {package}..."));
 
         // Get the package information from that series and pocket
         get(package, s, pocket, version, base_url, launchpad_vcs).await?
     } else {
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb(
-                &format!(
-                    "Searching for package {} in {}...",
-                    package,
-                    if base_url.is_none() {
-                        resolved_dist
-                    } else {
-                        "ppa"
-                    }
-                ),
-                "",
-                0,
-                0,
-            );
-        }
+        view.message(&format!(
+            "Searching for package {} in {}...",
+            package,
+            if base_url.is_none() {
+                resolved_dist
+            } else {
+                "ppa"
+            }
+        ));
 
         // Try to find the package in all series from that dist
         find_package(
@@ -947,7 +915,7 @@ pub async fn lookup(
             version,
             base_url,
             launchpad_vcs,
-            progress,
+            view,
         )
         .await?
     };
@@ -1142,9 +1110,17 @@ Directory: pool/main/h/hello
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_find_package_fallback() {
         // python2.7 is in bullseye but not above
-        let info = find_package("python2.7", "debian", "", None, None, None, None)
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
+        let info = find_package(
+            "python2.7",
+            "debian",
+            "",
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(info.stanza.package, "python2.7");
         assert_eq!(info.series, "bullseye")
     }
@@ -1152,9 +1128,17 @@ Directory: pool/main/h/hello
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_find_package_devel() {
         // hello is in sid
-        let info = find_package("hello", "debian", "", None, None, None, None)
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
+        let info = find_package(
+            "hello",
+            "debian",
+            "",
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(info.stanza.package, "hello");
         assert_eq!(info.series, "sid")
     }
diff --git a/src/pull.rs b/src/pull.rs
index 6044349..019a348 100644
--- a/src/pull.rs
+++ b/src/pull.rs
@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@ use log::debug;
 
 use regex::Regex;
 
-use crate::ProgressCallback;
+use crate::report::BuildView;
 
 fn clone_repo(
     url: &str,
     package: &str,
     branch: Option<&str>,
     cwd: Option<&Path>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let target_path = if let Some(path) = cwd {
         path.join(package)
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ fn clone_repo(
     };
 
     let mut callbacks = git2::RemoteCallbacks::new();
-    if let Some(ref progress_cb) = progress {
+    // The sideband parser is only worth running when something listens
+    if view.is_enabled() {
         // Download progress
         callbacks.transfer_progress(move |stats| {
-            (progress_cb)(
-                "",
+            view.progress(
                 "Receiving objects...",
                 stats.received_objects(),
                 stats.total_objects(),
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ fn clone_repo(
         });
 
         // Remote progress: messages 'Remote: compressing objects 10% (34/340)'
-        // Parse progress informations to display them in callbacks
+        // Parse progress informations to display them in the view
         callbacks.sideband_progress(move |data| {
             let msg = String::from_utf8_lossy(data);
             let re = Regex::new(r"(.*):[ ]*([0-9]*)% \(([0-9]*)/([0-9]*)\)").unwrap();
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ fn clone_repo(
                     .parse::<usize>()
                     .unwrap_or(0);
 
-                (progress_cb)("", msg.as_str(), objects, total);
+                view.progress(msg.as_str(), objects, total);
             }
 
             true
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ struct ExtractedArchive {
 fn extract_tar_archive<D, F>(
     file_path: &Path,
     dest: &Path,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
     decoder_factory: F,
 ) -> Result<ExtractedArchive, Box<dyn Error>>
 where
@@ -373,9 +373,7 @@ where
         current_entry += 1;
 
         // Report progress
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb("", "Extracting...", current_entry, total_entries);
-        }
+        view.progress("Extracting...", current_entry, total_entries);
     }
 
     let wrapper = if multiple_roots {
@@ -389,16 +387,16 @@ where
 fn extract_archive(
     path: &Path,
     dest: &Path,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<ExtractedArchive, Box<dyn Error>> {
     let filename = path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy();
 
     if filename.ends_with(".tar.gz") || filename.ends_with(".tgz") {
-        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, progress, GzDecoder::new)
+        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, view, GzDecoder::new)
     } else if filename.ends_with(".tar.xz") || filename.ends_with(".txz") {
-        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, progress, XzDecoder::new)
+        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, view, XzDecoder::new)
     } else if filename.ends_with(".tar.bz2") || filename.ends_with(".tbz2") {
-        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, progress, bzip2_rs::DecoderReader::new)
+        extract_tar_archive(path, dest, view, bzip2_rs::DecoderReader::new)
     } else {
         Err(format!("Unsupported archive format: {}", filename).into())
     }
@@ -439,7 +437,7 @@ async fn download_file_checksum(
     checksum: &str,
     algo: crate::package_info::ChecksumAlgo,
     target_dir: &Path,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     // Archive mirrors and CDNs are busy enough that single attempts fail
     // spuriously (dropped connections, truncated bodies, index generations
@@ -448,7 +446,7 @@ async fn download_file_checksum(
     const ATTEMPTS: u32 = 3;
     let mut last_error: Box<dyn Error> = String::new().into();
     for attempt in 1..=ATTEMPTS {
-        match download_file_checksum_once(url, checksum, algo, target_dir, progress).await {
+        match download_file_checksum_once(url, checksum, algo, target_dir, view).await {
             Ok(()) => return Ok(()),
             Err(e) => {
                 log::warn!("download of '{url}' failed (attempt {attempt}/{ATTEMPTS}): {e}");
@@ -468,7 +466,7 @@ async fn download_file_checksum_once(
     checksum: &str,
     algo: crate::package_info::ChecksumAlgo,
     target_dir: &Path,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     // Download with the shared client (connect timeout). Large orig tarballs
     // can legitimately take longer than the client's default total timeout,
@@ -504,9 +502,9 @@ async fn download_file_checksum_once(
         file.write_all(&chunk)?;
         buffer.extend_from_slice(&chunk);
 
-        if let (Some(cb), Some(total)) = (progress, total_size) {
+        if let Some(total) = total_size {
             let index = min(buffer.len(), total as usize);
-            cb("", "Downloading...", index, total as usize);
+            view.progress("Downloading...", index, total as usize);
         }
     }
 
@@ -575,7 +573,7 @@ fn setup_pristine_tar_branch(package_dir: &Path, dist: &str) -> Result<(), Box<d
 async fn fetch_orig_tarball(
     info: &PackageInfo,
     cwd: Option<&Path>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let package_dir = if let Some(path) = cwd {
         path.join(&info.stanza.package)
@@ -630,7 +628,7 @@ async fn fetch_orig_tarball(
                 &orig_file.checksum,
                 orig_file.checksum_algo,
                 target_dir,
-                progress,
+                view,
             )
             .await?;
         }
@@ -642,7 +640,7 @@ async fn fetch_orig_tarball(
 async fn fetch_dsc_file(
     info: &PackageInfo,
     cwd: Option<&Path>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let target_dir = cwd.unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new("."));
 
@@ -662,7 +660,7 @@ async fn fetch_dsc_file(
         &dsc_file.checksum,
         dsc_file.checksum_algo,
         target_dir,
-        progress,
+        view,
     )
     .await?;
 
@@ -672,7 +670,7 @@ async fn fetch_dsc_file(
 async fn fetch_archive_sources(
     info: &PackageInfo,
     cwd: Option<&Path>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let package_dir = if let Some(path) = cwd {
         path
@@ -702,14 +700,7 @@ async fn fetch_archive_sources(
 
     for file in &files {
         let url = format!("{}/{}", info.archive_url, file.name);
-        download_file_checksum(
-            &url,
-            &file.checksum,
-            file.checksum_algo,
-            package_dir,
-            progress,
-        )
-        .await?;
+        download_file_checksum(&url, &file.checksum, file.checksum_algo, package_dir, view).await?;
 
         // Extract all tar archives. Every tar of the source package matches
         // (orig, debian tar, native tar, extra components); a tarball in an
@@ -725,7 +716,7 @@ async fn fetch_archive_sources(
             let path = package_dir.join(&file.name);
             let extract_dir = package_dir.join(&info.stanza.package);
 
-            let extracted = extract_archive(&path, &extract_dir, progress)?;
+            let extracted = extract_archive(&path, &extract_dir, view)?;
 
             // Special case: the debian tar does only contain 'debian'
             if file.name.contains("debian.tar.") {
@@ -807,7 +798,7 @@ async fn fetch_archive_sources(
 pub async fn pull(
     package_info: &PackageInfo,
     cwd: Option<&Path>,
-    progress: ProgressCallback<'_>,
+    view: &dyn BuildView,
     force_archive: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let package = &package_info.stanza.package;
@@ -861,50 +852,37 @@ pub async fn pull(
             None
         };
 
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb(
-                &format!(
-                    "Cloning {}{}...",
-                    url,
-                    if let Some(b) = &branch_name {
-                        format!(" (branch {})", b)
-                    } else {
-                        String::new()
-                    }
-                ),
-                "",
-                0,
-                0,
-            );
-        }
+        view.message(&format!(
+            "Cloning {}{}...",
+            url,
+            if let Some(b) = &branch_name {
+                format!(" (branch {})", b)
+            } else {
+                String::new()
+            }
+        ));
 
         clone_repo(
             url.as_str(),
             package,
             branch_name.as_deref(),
             Some(&package_dir),
-            progress,
+            view,
         )?;
 
         if !package_info.is_native() {
-            if let Some(cb) = progress {
-                cb("Fetching orig tarball...", "", 0, 0);
-            }
-            fetch_orig_tarball(package_info, Some(&package_dir), progress).await?;
+            view.message("Fetching orig tarball...");
+            fetch_orig_tarball(package_info, Some(&package_dir), view).await?;
         } else {
             debug!("Native package, skipping orig tarball fetch.");
         }
 
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb("Fetching dsc file...", "", 0, 0);
-        }
-        fetch_dsc_file(package_info, Some(&package_dir), progress).await?;
+        view.message("Fetching dsc file...");
+        fetch_dsc_file(package_info, Some(&package_dir), view).await?;
     } else {
         // Fallback to archive fetching
-        if let Some(cb) = progress {
-            cb("Downloading from archive...", "", 0, 0);
-        }
-        fetch_archive_sources(package_info, Some(&package_dir), progress).await?;
+        view.message("Downloading from archive...");
+        fetch_archive_sources(package_info, Some(&package_dir), view).await?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
@@ -931,12 +909,26 @@ mod tests {
         let cwd = temp_dir.path();
 
         // Main 'pull' command: the one we want to test
-        let info = crate::package_info::lookup(package, None, series, "", dist, None, None, None)
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
-        pull(&info, Some(cwd), None, archive.unwrap_or(false))
-            .await
-            .unwrap();
+        let info = crate::package_info::lookup(
+            package,
+            None,
+            series,
+            "",
+            dist,
+            None,
+            None,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+        pull(
+            &info,
+            Some(cwd),
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+            archive.unwrap_or(false),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
 
         let package_dir = cwd.join(package);
         assert!(package_dir.exists());
@@ -1136,7 +1128,7 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let dest = temp_dir.path().join("dest");
-        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, None, |f| f);
+        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f);
 
         let err = match result {
             Ok(_) => panic!("extraction of a traversal archive should fail"),
@@ -1169,7 +1161,7 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let dest = temp_dir.path().join("dest");
-        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, None, |f| f);
+        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f);
 
         let err = match result {
             Ok(_) => panic!("extraction of an absolute-path archive should fail"),
@@ -1202,7 +1194,7 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let dest = temp_dir.path().join("dest");
-        extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(
             std::fs::read_to_string(dest.join("hello-1.0/file.txt")).unwrap(),
@@ -1235,7 +1227,7 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(&tar_path, tar_bytes).unwrap();
 
         let dest = temp_dir.path().join("dest");
-        extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(
             std::fs::read_to_string(dest.join("pkg-1.0/docs/v1/manual.txt")).unwrap(),
@@ -1276,7 +1268,8 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(&tar_path, tar_bytes).unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_wrapper(&tree, &extracted.wrapper.unwrap()).unwrap();
 
         assert!(!tree.join("pax_global_header").exists());
@@ -1297,7 +1290,7 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(&tar_path, tar_bytes).unwrap();
 
         let dest = temp_dir.path().join("dest");
-        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, None, |f| f);
+        let result = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &dest, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f);
 
         let err = match result {
             Ok(_) => panic!("extraction of an escaping hard link should fail"),
@@ -1332,7 +1325,8 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_wrapper(&tree, &extracted.wrapper.unwrap()).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(
@@ -1366,7 +1360,8 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(&tar_path, tar_bytes).unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_wrapper(&tree, &extracted.wrapper.unwrap()).unwrap();
 
         let meta = std::fs::symlink_metadata(tree.join("README")).unwrap();
@@ -1392,7 +1387,8 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         assert!(extracted.wrapper.is_none());
 
         assert!(tree.join("Makefile").exists());
@@ -1413,7 +1409,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let main = temp_dir.path().join("main.orig.tar");
         std::fs::write(&main, build_tar(&[("dovecot-2.4.5/README", b"main")])).unwrap();
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&main, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&main, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_into(
             &tree,
             &extracted.wrapper.unwrap(),
@@ -1430,7 +1426,8 @@ mod tests {
             ]),
         )
         .unwrap();
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&component, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&component, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_into(
             &tree,
             &extracted.wrapper.unwrap(),
@@ -1472,7 +1469,8 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, |f| f).unwrap();
+        let extracted =
+            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, &crate::report::Quiet, |f| f).unwrap();
         unwrap_into(
             &tree,
             &extracted.wrapper.unwrap(),
@@ -1512,8 +1510,13 @@ mod tests {
         std::fs::write(&tar_path, BZ2_TAR_WRAPPED).unwrap();
 
         let tree = temp_dir.path().join("tree");
-        let extracted =
-            extract_tar_archive(&tar_path, &tree, None, bzip2_rs::DecoderReader::new).unwrap();
+        let extracted = extract_tar_archive(
+            &tar_path,
+            &tree,
+            &crate::report::Quiet,
+            bzip2_rs::DecoderReader::new,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
         unwrap_wrapper(&tree, &extracted.wrapper.unwrap()).unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(
diff --git a/src/quirks.rs b/src/quirks.rs
index ee9cc41..05ea07c 100644
--- a/src/quirks.rs
+++ b/src/quirks.rs
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ fn apply_rules(
     }
 
     for injected in &deps.inject {
-        let parsed = Deps::parse(injected, opts)?;
+        let parsed = Deps::parse(injected, opts).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
         clauses.extend(parsed.clauses().map(<[PkgRelation]>::to_vec));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/report.rs b/src/report.rs
index f29adf4..e8ac066 100644
--- a/src/report.rs
+++ b/src/report.rs
@@ -68,10 +68,12 @@ pub struct BuildTarget<'a> {
 /// Observer of a running build: target identification, phases, status
 /// messages, progress and the final outcome.
 ///
-/// Implement this to observe the [`crate::build`] and [`crate::deb`] flows
-/// from any frontend. All events arrive in order from the build thread;
-/// long-lived views are expected to be `Send + Sync` because builds may run
-/// inside async tasks.
+/// Implement this to observe the [`crate::build`], [`crate::deb`] and
+/// [`crate::pull`] flows from any frontend. All events arrive in order from
+/// the build thread; long-lived views are expected to be `Send + Sync`
+/// because builds may run inside async tasks. The pull flow only emits the
+/// [`BuildView::message`], [`BuildView::progress`] and
+/// [`BuildView::progress`] events — no target, phases or outcome.
 pub trait BuildView: Send + Sync {
     /// The build target was identified; the events that follow belong to it
     /// (including the earliest subprocess output, e.g. a chroot download).
diff --git a/src/test/expand.rs b/src/test/expand.rs
index 7641c6e..c3b8aac 100644
--- a/src/test/expand.rs
+++ b/src/test/expand.rs
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ fn split_top_level_commas(input: &str) -> Vec<String> {
 /// stripped") and keeping everything else verbatim.
 fn name_only_clauses(input: &str, host_arch: &str) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
     let opts = ParseOpts::build_deps(host_arch.to_string(), Vec::new());
-    let deps = Deps::parse(input, &opts)?;
+    let deps = Deps::parse(input, &opts).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     let mut clauses = Vec::new();
     for clause in deps.clauses() {
         let kept: Vec<String> = clause
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 5cbcec7..c9c1cb9 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -95,34 +95,56 @@ pub fn removal_progress(bar: &ProgressBar, idx: usize, count: usize, done: u64)
     }
 }
 
-/// Create a spinner-style progress bar attached to `multi`, returning the bar
-/// and a callback compatible with [`crate::ProgressCallback`]
-pub fn create_progress_bar(
-    multi: &MultiProgress,
-) -> (ProgressBar, impl Fn(&str, &str, usize, usize) + '_) {
-    let pb = multi.add(ProgressBar::new(0));
-    pb.enable_steady_tick(Duration::from_millis(50));
-    pb.set_style(spinner_style());
+/// Terminal build view for the pull flow: one bar line attached to the
+/// shared [`MultiProgress`], spinner-style while the work is unsized,
+/// transfer-style once a byte or item total is known. The bar is created
+/// eagerly (an empty spinner, so the line exists from the first moment)
+/// and released on drop.
+pub struct PullView {
+    multi: MultiProgress,
+    pb: ProgressBar,
+}
 
-    let pb_clone = pb.clone();
-    let callback = move |prefix: &str, msg: &str, progress: usize, total: usize| {
-        let pb = &pb_clone;
-        if progress != 0 && total != 0 {
-            pb.set_style(transfer_style());
+impl PullView {
+    /// Attach a pull view to `multi`
+    pub fn new(multi: &MultiProgress) -> Self {
+        let pb = multi.add(ProgressBar::new(0));
+        pb.enable_steady_tick(Duration::from_millis(50));
+        pb.set_style(spinner_style());
+        Self {
+            multi: multi.clone(),
+            pb,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for PullView {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.pb.finish_and_clear();
+        self.multi.remove(&self.pb);
+    }
+}
+
+impl crate::report::BuildView for PullView {
+    fn message(&self, text: &str) {
+        self.pb.set_style(spinner_style());
+        self.pb.set_message(text.to_string());
+    }
+
+    fn progress(&self, label: &str, pos: usize, total: usize) {
+        if pos != 0 && total != 0 {
+            self.pb.set_style(transfer_style());
         } else {
-            pb.set_style(spinner_style());
+            self.pb.set_style(spinner_style());
         }
+        self.pb.set_message(label.to_string());
+        self.pb.set_length(total as u64);
+        self.pb.set_position(pos as u64);
+    }
 
-        if !prefix.is_empty() {
-            pb.set_prefix(prefix.to_string());
-        }
-
-        pb.set_message(msg.to_string());
-        pb.set_length(total as u64);
-        pb.set_position(progress as u64);
-    };
-
-    (pb, callback)
+    fn is_enabled(&self) -> bool {
+        true
+    }
 }
 
 /// Label of the interactive series selector, rendered by [`prompt::select`]