diff --git a/commands/barebox-update.c b/commands/barebox-update.c
index 903b406..53af2a8 100644
--- a/commands/barebox-update.c
+++ b/commands/barebox-update.c
@@ -24,12 +24,20 @@
 #include <bbu.h>
 #include <fs.h>
 
+static void print_handlers_list(void)
+{
+	printf("registered update handlers:\n");
+	bbu_handlers_list();
+}
+
 static int do_barebox_update(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	int opt, ret, repair = 0;
 	struct bbu_data data = {};
 	struct bbu_handler *handler;
 	void *image = NULL;
+	const char *name;
+	const char *fmt;
 
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "t:yf:ld:r")) > 0) {
 		switch (opt) {
@@ -47,8 +55,7 @@
 			data.flags |= BBU_FLAG_YES;
 			break;
 		case 'l':
-			printf("registered update handlers:\n");
-			bbu_handlers_list();
+			print_handlers_list();
 			return 0;
 		case 'r':
 			repair = 1;
@@ -58,6 +65,33 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (data.handler_name && data.devicefile) {
+		printf("Both TARGET and DEVICE are provided. "
+		       "Ignoring the latter\n");
+
+		data.devicefile = NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (data.handler_name) {
+		handler = bbu_find_handler_by_name(data.handler_name);
+		fmt = "handler '%s' does not exist\n";
+		name = data.handler_name;
+	} else if (data.devicefile) {
+		handler = bbu_find_handler_by_device(data.devicefile);
+		fmt = "handler for '%s' does not exist\n";
+		name = data.devicefile;
+	} else {
+		handler = bbu_find_handler_by_name(NULL);
+		fmt = "default handler does not exist\n";
+		name = NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!handler) {
+		printf(fmt, name);
+		print_handlers_list();
+		return COMMAND_ERROR;
+	}
+
 	if (argc - optind > 0) {
 		data.imagefile = argv[optind];
 
@@ -70,14 +104,6 @@
 			return COMMAND_ERROR_USAGE;
 	}
 
-	handler = bbu_find_handler_by_device(data.devicefile);
-
-	if (!handler)
-		handler = bbu_find_handler_by_name(data.handler_name);
-
-	if (!handler)
-		return COMMAND_ERROR_USAGE;
-
 	ret = barebox_update(&data, handler);
 
 	free(image);