diff --git a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
index b540ebd1a..54f6661a6 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
@@ -4326,18 +4326,18 @@ def extension_update(
                             backup_hooks[hook_name] = ext_hooks
 
                 # 5. Download new version
-                zip_path = catalog.download_extension(extension_id)
+                archive_path = catalog.download_extension(extension_id)
                 try:
                     # 6. Validate extension ID from archive BEFORE modifying installation
                     # Handle both root-level and nested extension.yml (GitHub auto-generated archives)
                     from .extensions import _detect_archive_format
                     import tarfile
-                    archive_fmt = _detect_archive_format(str(zip_path))
+                    archive_fmt = _detect_archive_format(str(archive_path))
                     import yaml
                     manifest_data = None
 
                     if archive_fmt == "tar.gz":
-                        with tarfile.open(zip_path, "r:gz") as tf:
+                        with tarfile.open(archive_path, "r:gz") as tf:
                             # First try root-level extension.yml
                             try:
                                 m = tf.getmember("extension.yml")
@@ -4354,7 +4354,7 @@ def extension_update(
                                         with f:
                                             manifest_data = yaml.safe_load(f.read()) or {}
                     else:
-                        with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path, "r") as zf:
+                        with zipfile.ZipFile(archive_path, "r") as zf:
                             namelist = zf.namelist()
 
                             # First try root-level extension.yml
@@ -4382,7 +4382,7 @@ def extension_update(
                     manager.remove(extension_id, keep_config=True)
 
                     # 8. Install new version
-                    _ = manager.install_from_zip(zip_path, speckit_version)
+                    _ = manager.install_from_zip(archive_path, speckit_version)
 
                     # Restore user config files from backup after successful install.
                     new_extension_dir = manager.extensions_dir / extension_id
@@ -4428,9 +4428,9 @@ def extension_update(
                                             hook["enabled"] = False
                                 hook_executor.save_project_config(config)
                 finally:
-                    # Clean up downloaded ZIP
-                    if zip_path.exists():
-                        zip_path.unlink()
+                    # Clean up downloaded archive
+                    if archive_path.exists():
+                        archive_path.unlink()
 
                 # 10. Clean up backup on success
                 if backup_base.exists():
diff --git a/src/specify_cli/extensions.py b/src/specify_cli/extensions.py
index 6946a1a09..3b25bbfbe 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/extensions.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/extensions.py
@@ -171,50 +171,55 @@ def _safe_extract_tarball(
     """
     dest_resolved = dest_dir.resolve()
 
-    with tarfile.open(archive_path, "r:gz") as tf:
-        members = tf.getmembers()
-        safe_members = []
+    try:
+        with tarfile.open(archive_path, "r:gz") as tf:
+            members = tf.getmembers()
+            safe_members = []
 
-        # Validate every member before extracting anything.
-        for member in members:
-            # Reject absolute paths and any path component that is "..".
-            if os.path.isabs(member.name) or any(
-                part == ".." for part in member.name.replace("\\", "/").split("/")
-            ):
-                raise error_class(
-                    f"Unsafe path in tar archive: {member.name} (potential path traversal)"
-                )
+            # Validate every member before extracting anything.
+            for member in members:
+                # Reject absolute paths and any path component that is "..".
+                if os.path.isabs(member.name) or any(
+                    part == ".." for part in member.name.replace("\\", "/").split("/")
+                ):
+                    raise error_class(
+                        f"Unsafe path in tar archive: {member.name} (potential path traversal)"
+                    )
 
-            # Confirm the resolved path stays inside dest_dir.
-            member_path = (dest_dir / member.name).resolve()
-            try:
-                member_path.relative_to(dest_resolved)
-            except ValueError:
-                raise error_class(
-                    f"Unsafe path in tar archive: {member.name} (potential path traversal)"
-                )
+                # Confirm the resolved path stays inside dest_dir.
+                member_path = (dest_dir / member.name).resolve()
+                try:
+                    member_path.relative_to(dest_resolved)
+                except ValueError:
+                    raise error_class(
+                        f"Unsafe path in tar archive: {member.name} (potential path traversal)"
+                    )
 
-            # Reject symlinks and hard links.
-            if member.issym() or member.islnk():
-                raise error_class(
-                    f"Symlinks are not allowed in archive: {member.name}"
-                )
+                # Reject symlinks and hard links.
+                if member.issym() or member.islnk():
+                    raise error_class(
+                        f"Symlinks are not allowed in archive: {member.name}"
+                    )
 
-            # Only allow regular files and directories.
-            if not (member.isreg() or member.isdir()):
-                raise error_class(
-                    f"Non-regular file in archive: {member.name}"
-                )
+                # Only allow regular files and directories.
+                if not (member.isreg() or member.isdir()):
+                    raise error_class(
+                        f"Non-regular file in archive: {member.name}"
+                    )
 
-            safe_members.append(member)
+                safe_members.append(member)
 
-        # Extract — use the "data" filter on Python 3.12+ for extra hardening.
-        # On older versions pass only the pre-validated members so that no
-        # unvetted entry (added concurrently or via a race) slips through.
-        if sys.version_info >= (3, 12):
-            tf.extractall(dest_dir, filter="data")  # type: ignore[call-arg]
-        else:
-            tf.extractall(dest_dir, members=safe_members)  # noqa: S202 — validated above
+            # Extract — use the "data" filter on Python 3.12+ for extra hardening.
+            # On older versions pass only the pre-validated members so that no
+            # unvetted entry (added concurrently or via a race) slips through.
+            if sys.version_info >= (3, 12):
+                tf.extractall(dest_dir, filter="data")  # type: ignore[call-arg]
+            else:
+                tf.extractall(dest_dir, members=safe_members)  # noqa: S202 — validated above
+    except error_class:
+        raise
+    except (tarfile.TarError, OSError) as e:
+        raise error_class(f"Failed to read archive {archive_path}: {e}") from e
 
 
 @dataclass