diff --git a/src/bin/julialauncher.rs b/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
index 6f413812..abaf7ba5 100644
--- a/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
+++ b/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
@@ -175,26 +175,27 @@ fn get_julia_path_from_channel(
     juliaupconfig_path: &Path,
     juliaup_channel_source: JuliaupChannelSource,
 ) -> Result<(PathBuf, Vec<String>)> {
+    let channel_valid = is_valid_channel(versions_db, &channel.to_string())?;
     let channel_info = config_data
             .installed_channels
             .get(channel)
             .ok_or_else(|| match juliaup_channel_source {
                 JuliaupChannelSource::CmdLine => {
-                    if is_valid_channel(versions_db, &channel.to_string()) {
+                    if channel_valid {
                         UserError { msg: format!("`{}` is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
                     } else {
                         UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}`. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
                     }
                 }.into(),
                 JuliaupChannelSource::EnvVar=> {
-                    if is_valid_channel(versions_db, &channel.to_string()) {
+                    if channel_valid {
                         UserError { msg: format!("`{}` from environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
                     } else {
                         UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` from environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
                     }
                 }.into(),
                 JuliaupChannelSource::Override=> {
-                    if is_valid_channel(versions_db, &channel.to_string()) {
+                    if channel_valid {
                         UserError { msg: format!("`{}` from directory override is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
                     } else {
                         UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` from directory override. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
diff --git a/src/command_default.rs b/src/command_default.rs
index 20969be3..bb8e4e8c 100644
--- a/src/command_default.rs
+++ b/src/command_default.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub fn run_command_default(channel: &str, paths: &GlobalPaths) -> Result<()> {
     if !config_file.data.installed_channels.contains_key(channel) {
         let version_db = load_versions_db(paths)
             .with_context(|| "`default` command failed to load versions db.")?;
-        if !is_valid_channel(&version_db, &channel.to_string()) {
+        if !is_valid_channel(&version_db, &channel.to_string())? {
             bail!("'{}' is not a valid Julia version.", channel);
         } else {
             bail!(
diff --git a/src/command_link.rs b/src/command_link.rs
index 2bceccbb..a1a4caa4 100644
--- a/src/command_link.rs
+++ b/src/command_link.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub fn run_command_link(
         bail!("Channel name `{}` is already used.", channel)
     }
 
-    if is_valid_channel(&versiondb_data, &channel.to_string()) {
+    if is_valid_channel(&versiondb_data, &channel.to_string())? {
         eprintln!("WARNING: The channel name `{}` is also a system channel. By linking your custom binary to this channel you are hiding this system channel.", channel);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/operations.rs b/src/operations.rs
index 21441cf9..7cacd33f 100644
--- a/src/operations.rs
+++ b/src/operations.rs
@@ -434,27 +434,23 @@ pub fn compatible_archs() -> Result<Vec<String>> {
 
 // which nightly channels are compatible with the current system
 fn compatible_nightly_channels() -> Result<Vec<String>> {
-    let archs: Result<Vec<String>> = compatible_archs();
+    let archs: Vec<String> = compatible_archs()?;
 
-    if archs.is_ok() {
-        let channels: Vec<String> = std::iter::once("nightly".to_string())
-            .chain(archs?.into_iter().map(|arch| format!("nightly~{}", arch)))
-            .collect();
-        Ok(channels)
-    } else {
-        archs
-    }
+    let channels: Vec<String> = std::iter::once("nightly".to_string())
+        .chain(archs.into_iter().map(|arch| format!("nightly~{}", arch)))
+        .collect();
+    Ok(channels)
 }
 
 // considers the nightly channels as system channels
 // XXX: does not account for PR channels
-pub fn is_valid_channel(versions_db: &JuliaupVersionDB, channel: &String) -> bool {
+pub fn is_valid_channel(versions_db: &JuliaupVersionDB, channel: &String) -> Result<bool> {
     let regular = versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(channel);
 
-    let nightly_chans = compatible_nightly_channels();
+    let nightly_chans = compatible_nightly_channels()?;
 
-    let nightly = nightly_chans.is_ok_and(|nightly_chans| nightly_chans.contains(channel));
-    regular || nightly
+    let nightly = nightly_chans.contains(channel);
+    Ok(regular || nightly)
 }
 
 // Identify the unversioned name of a nightly (e.g., `latest-macos-x86_64`) for a channel