diff --git a/podman-desktop b/podman-desktop
index 74f0725..f7f2f4b 100755
--- a/podman-desktop
+++ b/podman-desktop
@@ -13,32 +13,30 @@ show_help() {
   "
 }
 
-die() {
+err() {
   echo >&2 "$@"
-  exit 1
 }
 
-install_cmd() {
-  set +e
-  if [ -z "$(command -v brew)" ]; then
-    echo "# Install homebrew for easier MacOS management"
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2016
-    echo '/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"'
-  fi
-  set -e
-  echo "brew install $1"
+die() {
+  err "$@"
+  exit 1
 }
 
 validate() {
   cmd=$1
-  if [ ! -x "$(command -v "$cmd")" ]; then
-    echo "ERROR: \`$cmd\` command not found. Please install $cmd." >&2
-    echo "Instructions are:"
-    install_cmd "$cmd"
-    exit 1
-  else
-    echo "$cmd found."
-  fi
+  set +e
+  command -v $cmd >/dev/null 2>&1 && return
+  command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1 || {
+    die 'Install homebrew for easier macOS management
+
+    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"
+'
+  }
+
+  die "ERROR: \`$cmd\` command not found. Please install with
+
+    brew install $cmd
+  "
 }
 
 validate "podman"
@@ -82,10 +80,11 @@ PUBKEY=$(cat "$PUBKEYFILE")
 
 PRIMARY=$(multipass get client.primary-name)
 if [ "$PRIMARY" != "$INSTANCE_NAME" ] && [ "$PRIMARY" != "primary" ]; then
-   die "client.primary-name already set ($PRIMARY) for multipass"
+   err "client.primary-name already set ($PRIMARY) for multipass"
+else
+   multipass set client.primary-name="$INSTANCE_NAME"
 fi
 
-multipass set client.primary-name="$INSTANCE_NAME"
 echo >&2 "this may take a while - to view progress:
 
     multipass exec $INSTANCE_NAME -- tail -f /var/log/cloud-init-output.log
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 9ad7898..71f711d 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ podman runs on linux, so this script spins up a virtual linux machine, and confi
 
 Requires `muiltipass` and `podman`
 
-> if you are on Apple Silicon, use multipass [1.8.0](https://multipass-ci.s3.amazonaws.com/pr403/multipass-1.8.0-dev.403.pr403%2Bg843f3ca3.mac%2Barm64-Darwin.pkg)
+> if you are on Apple Silicon, use multipass [1.8.0-rc.849](https://multipass-ci.s3.amazonaws.com/multipass-1.8.0-rc.849%2Bgb6625c10.mac-Darwin.pkg)
 
     brew install multipass podman