diff --git a/scripts/makepkg.sh.in b/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
index 528db14..368eb85 100644
--- a/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
@@ -810,7 +810,10 @@ update_pkgver() {
 
 	if [[ -n $newpkgver && $newpkgver != "$pkgver" ]]; then
 		if [[ -f $BUILDFILE && -w $BUILDFILE ]]; then
-			@SEDINPLACE@ "s/^pkgver=[^ ]*/pkgver=$newpkgver/" "$BUILDFILE"
+			if ! @SEDINPLACE@ "s/^pkgver=[^ ]*/pkgver=$newpkgver/" "$BUILDFILE"; then
+				error "$(gettext "Invalid \$newpkgver '%s'.")" "$newpkgver"
+				exit 1
+			fi
 			@SEDINPLACE@ "s/^pkgrel=[^ ]*/pkgrel=1/" "$BUILDFILE"
 			source "$BUILDFILE"
 			local fullver=$(get_full_version)