diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.sample b/Jenkinsfile.sample
index fbb9f16..ed94faa 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.sample
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.sample
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ node {
   stage 'Checkout'
 
     checkout scm
-    
+
   stage 'Acquire util'
-    
+
     sh 'mkdir -p bin'
     dir('bin'){
       git([ url: "https://github.internet2.edu/docker/util.git",
@@ -13,33 +13,38 @@ node {
       sh 'ls'
       sh 'mv bin/* .'
     }
-    
+
   stage 'Build'
-    
-    def maintainer = maintainer()
-    def imagename = imagename()
-    def tag = env.BRANCH_NAME
-    if(!imagename){
-      echo "You must define an imagename in common.bash"
-      currentBuild.result = 'FAILURE'
-    }
-    if(maintainer){
-      echo "Building ${maintainer}:${tag} for ${maintainer}"
+    try{
+      def maintainer = maintainer()
+      def imagename = imagename()
+      def tag = env.BRANCH_NAME
+      if(!imagename){
+        echo "You must define an imagename in common.bash"
+        currentBuild.result = 'FAILURE'
+      }
+      if(maintainer){
+        echo "Building ${maintainer}:${tag} for ${maintainer}"
+      }
+
+      sh 'bin/build.sh &> debug'
+    } catch(error) {
+      def error_details = readFile('./debug');
+      def message = "BUILD ERROR: There was a problem building the Base Image. \n\n ${error_details}"
+      sh "rm -f ./debug"
+      handleError(message)
     }
-    
-    sh 'bin/build.sh'
-    
   stage 'Tests'
-  
+
     sh 'bin/test.sh'
-    
+
   stage 'Push'
-  
+
     docker.withRegistry('https://registry.hub.docker.com/',   "dockerhub-$maintainer") {
           def baseImg = docker.build("$maintainer/$imagename")
           baseImg.push("$tag")
     }
-    
+
 
 }
 
@@ -51,4 +56,12 @@ def maintainer() {
 def imagename() {
   def matcher = readFile('common.bash') =~ 'imagename="(.+)"'
   matcher ? matcher[0][1] : null
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+def handleError(String message){
+  echo "${message}"
+  currentBuild.setResult("FAILED")
+  slackSend color: 'danger', message: "${message}"
+  step([$class: 'Mailer', notifyEveryUnstableBuild: true, recipients: "$email-error-id", sendToIndividuals: true])
+  sh 'exit 1'
+}