diff --git a/target/bin/rspamd-dkim b/target/bin/rspamd-dkim
index 6dfcc1a0..689aa7d5 100755
--- a/target/bin/rspamd-dkim
+++ b/target/bin/rspamd-dkim
@@ -177,10 +177,14 @@ function _create_keys() {
       exit 1
     else
       _log 'info' "Overwriting existing files as the '--force' option was supplied"
-      rm "${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}" "${PUBLIC_KEY_DNS_FILE}" "${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}"
+      [[ -f ${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE} ]] && rm "${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}"
+      [[ -f ${PUBLIC_KEY_DNS_FILE} ]] && rm "${PUBLIC_KEY_DNS_FILE}"
+      [[ -f ${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE} ]] && rm "${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}"
     fi
   fi
 
+  __create_rspamd_err_log
+
   # shellcheck disable=SC2310
   if __do_as_rspamd_user rspamadm \
       dkim_keygen                 \
@@ -188,12 +192,14 @@ function _create_keys() {
       -d "${DOMAIN}"              \
       "${KEYTYPE_OPTIONS[@]}"     \
       -k "${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}"    \
-      >"${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}"
+      >"${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}"       \
+    && ! __filter_rspamd_err_log 'Permission denied' # we also need to check the log for error messages
   then
-      _log 'info' 'Successfully created DKIM keys'
-      _log 'debug' "Public key written to '${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}'"
-      _log 'debug' "Private key written to '${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}'"
+    _log 'info' 'Successfully created DKIM keys'
+    _log 'debug' "Public key written to '${PUBLIC_KEY_FILE}'"
+    _log 'debug' "Private key written to '${PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}'"
   else
+    __print_rspamd_err_log
     _exit_with_error 'Creating keys failed'
   fi
 }
diff --git a/target/scripts/helpers/rspamd.sh b/target/scripts/helpers/rspamd.sh
index 8d1fd668..1d3e1417 100644
--- a/target/scripts/helpers/rspamd.sh
+++ b/target/scripts/helpers/rspamd.sh
@@ -5,9 +5,51 @@
 # Perform a specific command as the Rspamd user (`_rspamd`). This is useful
 # in case you want to have correct permissions on newly created files or if
 # you want to check whether Rspamd can perform a specific action.
+#
+# @flag ${1} = '--quiet' to indicate whether log should be disabled [OPTIONAL]
 function __do_as_rspamd_user() {
-  _log 'trace' "Running '${*}' as user '_rspamd'"
-  su _rspamd -s /bin/bash -c "${*}"
+  if [[ ${1:-} != '--quiet' ]]; then
+    _log 'trace' "Running '${*}' as user '_rspamd'"
+  else
+    shift 1
+  fi
+
+  su _rspamd -s /bin/bash -c "${*} 2>${__RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE:-/dev/null}"
+}
+
+# Create a temporary log file (with `mktemp`) that one can filter to search
+# for error messages. This is required as `rspamadm` sometimes prints an error
+# but does not exit with an error.
+#
+# The file created is managed in the ENV `__RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE`. This ENV is
+# meant for internal usage; do not use it on your scripts. The log file is cleaned
+# up when the script exits.
+function __create_rspamd_err_log() {
+  _log 'trace' "Creating Rspamd error log"
+  trap 'rm -f "${__RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE}"' EXIT # cleanup when we exit
+  __RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE=$(__do_as_rspamd_user --quiet mktemp)
+}
+
+# Print the Rspamd temporary error log. This will succeed only when the log has been
+# created before.
+function __print_rspamd_err_log() {
+  [[ -v __RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE ]] && __do_as_rspamd_user cat "${__RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE}"
+}
+
+# Print the Rspamd temporary error log. We use `grep` but with "fixed strings", which
+# means the message you provide is evaluated as-is, not as a regular expression. This
+# will succeed only when the log has been created before.
+#
+# @param ${1} = message to filter by
+function __filter_rspamd_err_log() {
+  if [[ -v __RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE ]]; then
+    __do_as_rspamd_user grep \
+      --quiet \
+      --ignore-case \
+      --fixed-strings \
+      "${1:?A message for filtering is required}" \
+      "${__RSPAMD_ERR_LOG_FILE}"
+  fi
 }
 
 # Calling this function brings common Rspamd-related environment variables