diff --git a/lib/core/update.py b/lib/core/update.py
index c2f38ecfb..f41b9cdf3 100644
--- a/lib/core/update.py
+++ b/lib/core/update.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Copyright (c) 2006-2012 sqlmap developers (http://www.sqlmap.org/)
 See the file 'doc/COPYING' for copying permission
 """
 
+import os
 import re
 import time
 
@@ -25,31 +26,39 @@ def update():
     if not conf.updateAll:
         return
 
+    success = False
     rootDir = paths.SQLMAP_ROOT_PATH
 
-    infoMsg = "updating sqlmap to the latest development version from the "
-    infoMsg += "GitHub repository"
-    logger.info(infoMsg)
-
-    debugMsg = "sqlmap will try to update itself using 'git' command"
-    logger.debug(debugMsg)
-
-    dataToStdout("\r[%s] [INFO] update in progress " % time.strftime("%X"))
-    process = execute("git pull %s" % rootDir, shell=True, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
-    pollProcess(process, True)
-    stdout, stderr = process.communicate()
-
-    if not process.returncode:
-        logger.info("%s the latest revision '%s'" % ("already at" if "Already" in stdout else "updated to", REVISION))
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(rootDir, ".git")):
+        errMsg = "not a git repository. Please checkout the 'sqlmapproject/sqlmap' repository "
+        errMsg += "from GitHub (e.g. git clone https://github.com/sqlmapproject/sqlmap.git sqlmap-dev)"
+        logger.error(errMsg)
     else:
-        logger.error("update could not be completed (%s)" % repr(stderr))
+        infoMsg = "updating sqlmap to the latest development version from the "
+        infoMsg += "GitHub repository"
+        logger.info(infoMsg)
 
+        debugMsg = "sqlmap will try to update itself using 'git' command"
+        logger.debug(debugMsg)
+
+        dataToStdout("\r[%s] [INFO] update in progress " % time.strftime("%X"))
+        process = execute("git pull %s" % rootDir, shell=True, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
+        pollProcess(process, True)
+        stdout, stderr = process.communicate()
+        success = not process.returncode
+
+        if success:
+            logger.info("%s the latest revision '%s'" % ("already at" if "Already" in stdout else "updated to", REVISION))
+        else:
+            logger.error("update could not be completed ('%s')" % re.sub(r"\W+", " ", stderr).strip())
+
+    if not success:
         if IS_WIN:
             infoMsg = "for Windows platform it's recommended "
             infoMsg += "to use a GitHub for Windows client for updating "
             infoMsg += "purposes (http://windows.github.com/)"
         else:
-            infoMsg = "for Linux platform it's recommended "
-            infoMsg += "to use a standard 'git' package (e.g.: 'sudo apt-get install git')"
+            infoMsg = "for Linux platform it's required "
+            infoMsg += "to install a standard 'git' package (e.g.: 'sudo apt-get install git')"
 
         logger.info(infoMsg)