diff --git a/Backend/File.hs b/Backend/File.hs
index c97a354d0c..8969d7556e 100644
--- a/Backend/File.hs
+++ b/Backend/File.hs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ module Backend.File (backend) where
 import Control.Monad.State
 import System.IO
 import System.Cmd
+import System.Cmd.Utils
 import System.Exit
 import Control.Exception
 
@@ -92,11 +93,7 @@ copyFromRemote r key file = do
 		then getlocal
 		else getremote
 	where
-		getlocal = do
-			res <-rawSystem "cp" ["-a", location, file]
-			if (res == ExitSuccess)
-				then return ()
-				else error "cp failed"
+		getlocal = safeSystem "cp" ["-a", location, file]
 		getremote = error "get via network not yet implemented!"
 		location = annexLocation r key
 
diff --git a/Backend/URL.hs b/Backend/URL.hs
index 5c1fd74c93..c9b6ab6df8 100644
--- a/Backend/URL.hs
+++ b/Backend/URL.hs
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 
 module Backend.URL (backend) where
 
+import Control.Exception
 import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
 import Data.String.Utils
 import System.Cmd
+import System.Cmd.Utils
 import System.Exit
 
 import TypeInternals
@@ -36,9 +38,10 @@ downloadUrl :: Key -> FilePath -> Annex Bool
 downloadUrl key file = do
 	showNote "downloading"
 	liftIO $ putStrLn "" -- make way for curl progress bar
-	result <- liftIO $ rawSystem "curl" ["-#", "-o", file, url]
-	if (result == ExitSuccess)
-		then return True
-		else return False
+	result <- liftIO $ (try curl::IO (Either SomeException ()))
+	case result of
+		Left err -> return False
+		Right succ -> return True
 	where
+		curl = safeSystem "curl" ["-#", "-o", file, url]
 		url = join ":" $ drop 1 $ split ":" $ show key 
diff --git a/GitRepo.hs b/GitRepo.hs
index 32383197b5..5b0e68cd62 100644
--- a/GitRepo.hs
+++ b/GitRepo.hs
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ gitCommandLine repo params = assertlocal repo $
 {- Runs git in the specified repo. -}
 run :: Repo -> [String] -> IO ()
 run repo params = assertlocal repo $ do
-	r <- rawSystem "git" (gitCommandLine repo params)
+	r <- safeSystem "git" (gitCommandLine repo params)
 	return ()
 
 {- Runs a git subcommand and returns its output. -}
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index eca1922b7a..e6fdcd0b29 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 * bug: doesn't learn new remote's uuids if a known (but maybe not accessible) 
   uuids has a wanted file
 
-* bug: ctrl+c does not stop it from running another action; need to
-  not catch UserInterrupt exceptions.
-
 * --push/--pull should take a reponame and files, and push those files
   to that repo; dropping them from the current repo