diff --git a/build_linux.sh b/build_linux.sh
index 7f5deeb3..759135e1 100644
--- a/build_linux.sh
+++ b/build_linux.sh
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ rm -f dll/net.pb.cc
 rm -f dll/net.pb.h
 echo // invoking protobuf compiler - 32
 "$protoc_exe_32" -I./dll/ --cpp_out=./dll/ ./dll/*.proto
+echo ; echo ;
 
 if [[ "$BUILD_LIB32" = "1" ]]; then
   echo // building shared lib libsteam_api.so - 32
@@ -399,8 +400,6 @@ if [[ "$BUILD_TOOL_LOBBY32" = "1" ]]; then
   last_code=$((last_code + $?))
 fi
 
-echo; echo 
-
 
 ### x64 build
 rm -f dll/net.pb.cc
@@ -409,6 +408,7 @@ rm -f -r -d "$build_temp_dir"
 mkdir -p "$build_temp_dir"
 echo // invoking protobuf compiler - 64
 "$protoc_exe_64" -I./dll/ --cpp_out=./dll/ ./dll/*.proto
+echo ; echo ;
 
 if [[ "$BUILD_LIB64" = "1" ]]; then
   echo // building shared lib libsteam_api.so - 64
@@ -434,8 +434,6 @@ if [[ "$BUILD_TOOL_LOBBY64" = "1" ]]; then
   last_code=$((last_code + $?))
 fi
 
-echo; echo 
-
 
 # cleanup
 rm -f dll/net.pb.cc
diff --git a/build_win.bat b/build_win.bat
index cc83b02a..9e97723c 100644
--- a/build_win.bat
+++ b/build_win.bat
@@ -257,50 +257,58 @@ call build_win_set_env.bat 32 || (
 )
 
 echo // invoking protobuf compiler - 32
-"%protoc_exe_32%" -I.\dll\ --cpp_out=.\dll\ .\dll\net.proto
-set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+"%protoc_exe_32%" -I.\dll\ --cpp_out=.\dll\ .\dll\net.proto || (
+  set /a last_code+=1
+)
 echo: & echo:
 
 if %BUILD_LIB32% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_lib32
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_lib32 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXP_LIB32% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimental_lib32
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimental_lib32 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXP_CLIENT32% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimental_client32
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimental_client32 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXPCLIENT32% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimentalclient_32
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimentalclient_32 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 :: steamclient_loader
 if %BUILD_EXPCLIENT_LDR% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimentalclient_ldr
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimentalclient_ldr || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 :: tools (x32)
 if %BUILD_TOOL_FIND_ITFS% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_tool_itf
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_tool_itf || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 if %BUILD_TOOL_LOBBY% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_tool_lobby
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_tool_lobby || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
@@ -326,31 +334,36 @@ call build_win_set_env.bat 64 || (
 )
 
 echo // invoking protobuf compiler - 64
-"%protoc_exe_64%" -I.\dll\ --cpp_out=.\dll\ .\dll\net.proto
-set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+"%protoc_exe_64%" -I.\dll\ --cpp_out=.\dll\ .\dll\net.proto || (
+  set /a last_code+=1
+)
 echo: & echo:
 
 if %BUILD_LIB64% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_lib64
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_lib64 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXP_LIB64% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimental_lib64
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimental_lib64 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXP_CLIENT64% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimental_client64
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimental_client64 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
 if %BUILD_EXPCLIENT64% equ 1 (
-  call :compile_experimentalclient_64
-  set /a last_code+=errorlevel
+  call :compile_experimentalclient_64 || (
+    set /a last_code+=1
+  )
   echo: & echo:
 )
 
@@ -358,14 +371,19 @@ endlocal & set /a last_code=%last_code%
 
 
 :: copy configs + examples
-echo // copying readmes + files examples
-xcopy /y /s "files_example\*" "%build_root_dir%\"
-copy /y steamclient_loader\ColdClientLoader.ini "%steamclient_dir%\"
-copy /y Readme_release.txt "%build_root_dir%\Readme.txt"
-copy /y Readme_experimental.txt "%experimental_dir%\Readme.txt"
-copy /y Readme_experimental_steamclient.txt "%steamclient_dir%\Readme.txt"
-copy /y Readme_generate_interfaces.txt "%find_interfaces_dir%\Readme.txt"
-copy /y Readme_lobby_connect.txt "%lobby_connect_dir%\Readme.txt"
+if %last_code% equ 0 (
+  echo // copying readmes + files examples
+  xcopy /y /s "files_example\*" "%build_root_dir%\"
+  copy /y steamclient_loader\ColdClientLoader.ini "%steamclient_dir%\"
+  copy /y Readme_release.txt "%build_root_dir%\Readme.txt"
+  copy /y Readme_experimental.txt "%experimental_dir%\Readme.txt"
+  copy /y Readme_experimental_steamclient.txt "%steamclient_dir%\Readme.txt"
+  copy /y Readme_generate_interfaces.txt "%find_interfaces_dir%\Readme.txt"
+  copy /y Readme_lobby_connect.txt "%lobby_connect_dir%\Readme.txt"
+) else (
+  call :err_msg "Not copying readmes or files examples due to previous errors"
+)
+echo: & echo:
 
 
 :: cleanup
@@ -374,6 +392,7 @@ call build_win_clean.bat
 for %%A in ("ilk" "lib" "exp") do (
   del /f /s /q "%build_root_dir%\*.%%~A" >nul 2>&1
 )
+echo: & echo:
 
 
 goto :end_script