diff --git a/mvwrap/mvwrap b/mvwrap/mvwrap
index ce7dcd2..963204f 100755
--- a/mvwrap/mvwrap
+++ b/mvwrap/mvwrap
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ sub edit {
 	@editor = (defined $ENV{EDITOR}  ? $ENV{EDITOR} : "vi", "$filename");
 	if ($opt_e) { @editor = ($opt_e, "$filename") }
 	system(@editor) == 0
-		or die "System @editor failed: $?";
+		or die "System @editor failed: $!";
 }
 
 # make tempfiles and install handler to remove them
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ sub move_files {
 
 # read pattern file
 sub read_pattern {
-	open PAT, "< $opt_f" or die "Couldn't open pattern file: $?\n";
+	open PAT, "< $opt_f" or die "Couldn't open pattern file: $!\n";
 	@pattern = <PAT>;
 	close PAT;
 }
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ sub lock {
 		die "Another mv_wrap process is active in this direcory\n"
 	}
 	else {
-		open LOCK, "> .mv_wrap" or die "Couldn't open .mv_wrap for writing: $?\n";
+		open LOCK, "> .mv_wrap" or die "Couldn't open .mv_wrap for writing: $!\n";
 		print LOCK $$;
 		close LOCK;
 	}