diff --git a/src/cli/Merge.cpp b/src/cli/Merge.cpp
index 39dcf21f..5bd926eb 100644
--- a/src/cli/Merge.cpp
+++ b/src/cli/Merge.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ int Merge::execute(const QStringList& arguments)
     QSharedPointer<Database> db2;
     if (!parser.isSet("same-credentials")) {
         db2 = Utils::unlockDatabase(args.at(1), parser.value(keyFileFromOption), Utils::STDOUT, Utils::STDERR);
+        if (!db2) {
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
+        }
     } else {
         db2 = QSharedPointer<Database>::create();
         QString errorMessage;
diff --git a/src/cli/Utils.cpp b/src/cli/Utils.cpp
index 26434669..a1513a7f 100644
--- a/src/cli/Utils.cpp
+++ b/src/cli/Utils.cpp
@@ -135,8 +135,13 @@ QSharedPointer<Database> unlockDatabase(const QString& databaseFilename,
     }
 
     auto db = QSharedPointer<Database>::create();
-    db->open(databaseFilename, compositeKey, nullptr, false);
-    return db;
+    QString error;
+    if (db->open(databaseFilename, compositeKey, &error, false)) {
+        return db;
+    } else {
+        err << error << endl;
+        return {};
+    }
 }
 
 /**