diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 4befcb3cb2..6235edc241 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ override_dh_install:
 	dh_systemd_enable gitlab.target
 	dh_systemd_start gitlab.target
 	# Make sure we are installing all required files in debian/install
-	a=$(ls -1 | wc -l); b=$(cat debian/install |cut -d' ' -f1|grep -v\
-	debian |wc -l); if ! [ $(echo "$a" - "$b"|bc) -eq 5 ]; then \
-	echo "Install newly added files or adjust the count in debian/rules"; fi
+	a=$(ls -1 | wc -l); b=$(cat debian/install |cut -d' '\
+	-f1|grep -v debian |wc -l); if ! [ $(echo "$a" - "$b"|bc) -eq 5 ];\
+	then echo "Install newly added files or adjust the count in\
+	debian/rules"; exit 1;fi
 
 override_dh_installinit:
 	dh_installinit --no-start