diff --git a/fetch.py b/fetch.py
index 91d40cda..d79f9479 100644
--- a/fetch.py
+++ b/fetch.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import subprocess
 import sys
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
-def fetch_file(url):
+def fetch_file(url, verbose=False):
   """Fetch a file from the specified source using the appropriate protocol.
 
   Returns:
@@ -29,10 +29,14 @@ def fetch_file(url):
     cmd = ['gsutil', 'cat', url]
     try:
       result = subprocess.run(
-          cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+          cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+          check=True)
+      if result.stderr and verbose:
+        print('warning: non-fatal error running "gsutil": %s' % result.stderr,
+              file=sys.stderr)
       return result.stdout
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
-      print('fatal: error running "gsutil": %s' % e.output,
+      print('fatal: error running "gsutil": %s' % e.stderr,
             file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(1)
   if scheme == 'file':
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index 853cbe68..a3f3241a 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ to update the working directory files.
     if standalone_manifest:
       if is_new:
         manifest_name = 'default.xml'
-        manifest_data = fetch.fetch_file(opt.manifest_url)
+        manifest_data = fetch.fetch_file(opt.manifest_url, verbose=opt.verbose)
         dest = os.path.join(m.worktree, manifest_name)
         os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(dest), exist_ok=True)
         with open(dest, 'wb') as f: