uci_export(ctx, stdout, ptr.p, true);
                break;
        case CMD_SHOW:
-               if (!(ptr.flags & UCI_LOOKUP_COMPLETE))
+               if (!(ptr.flags & UCI_LOOKUP_COMPLETE)) {
+                       ctx->err = UCI_ERR_NOTFOUND;
+                       cli_perror();
                        return 1;
+               }
                switch(e->type) {
                        case UCI_TYPE_PACKAGE:
                                uci_show_package(ptr.p);
        e = ptr.last;
        switch(cmd) {
        case CMD_GET:
+               if (!(ptr.flags & UCI_LOOKUP_COMPLETE)) {
+                       ctx->err = UCI_ERR_NOTFOUND;
+                       cli_perror();
+                       return 1;
+               }
                switch(e->type) {
                case UCI_TYPE_SECTION:
                        printf("%s\n", ptr.s->type);