diff --git a/src/u_libmaneditor.pas b/src/u_libmaneditor.pas
index 45a7f6cb..eca1a30b 100644
--- a/src/u_libmaneditor.pas
+++ b/src/u_libmaneditor.pas
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ begin
   if assigned(fList) then
     fillList
   else
-    dlgOkError('could not get the package list, check you connection or that curl library is setup');
+    dlgOkError('could not get the package list, ' + simpleGetErrMsg);
 end;
 
 procedure TDubPackageQueryForm.fillList;
diff --git a/src/u_main.pas b/src/u_main.pas
index 1af5eeec..4ee1e479 100644
--- a/src/u_main.pas
+++ b/src/u_main.pas
@@ -2035,7 +2035,7 @@ begin
       res.free;
     end;
   end
-  else dlgOkError('Impossible to check new versions, no connectivity or lib CURL not installed');
+  else dlgOkError('Impossible to check new versions, ' + simpleGetErrMsg);
 end;
 
 procedure TMainForm.DoFirstShow;
diff --git a/src/u_simpleget.pas b/src/u_simpleget.pas
index e7d2fa20..c42c7aec 100644
--- a/src/u_simpleget.pas
+++ b/src/u_simpleget.pas
@@ -10,13 +10,19 @@ uses
 type
   PStream = ^TStream;
 
-// Get the content of url in the string data
+// Get the content of 'url' in the string 'data'
 function simpleGet(url: string; var data: string): boolean; overload;
-// Get the content of url in the stream data
+// Get the content of 'url' in the stream 'data'
 function simpleGet(url: string; data: TStream): boolean; overload;
-// Get the content of url in the JSON data, supposed to be a nil instance.
+// Get the content of 'url' in the JSON 'data', supposed to be a nil instance.
 function simpleGet(url: string; var data: TJSONData): boolean; overload;
 
+const
+  {$ifdef windows} libcurlFname = 'libcurl.dll';    {$endif}
+  {$ifdef linux}   libcurlFname = 'libcurl.so';     {$endif}
+  {$ifdef darwin}  libcurlFname = 'libcurl.dylib';  {$endif}
+  simpleGetErrMsg = 'no network or ' + libcurlFname + ' not setup correctly';
+
 implementation
 
 var
@@ -35,7 +41,6 @@ end;
 function simpleGetClbckForStream(buffer:Pchar; size:PtrInt; nitems:PtrInt;
   appender: PStream): PtrInt; cdecl;
 begin
-  assert(appender <> nil);
   try
     result := appender^.write(buffer^, size * nitems);
   except
@@ -46,7 +51,6 @@ end;
 function simpleGetClbckForString(buffer:Pchar; size:PtrInt; nitems:PtrInt;
   appender: PString): PtrInt; cdecl;
 begin
-  assert(appender <> nil);
   result := size* nitems;
   try
     (appender^) += buffer;