diff --git a/pacman-update-count.sh b/pacman-update-count.sh
index 5019783..183dd10 100755
--- a/pacman-update-count.sh
+++ b/pacman-update-count.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-_updates_available="0"
+set -e
+
+_updates_available="-1"
 _target_file="/tmp/pacman-update-count"
 _user="ray"
 _user_id=$(id -u)
@@ -10,17 +12,12 @@ if ! [ "$_user_id" -eq 0 ] ; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+touch "$_target_file"
+chown root: "$_target_file"
+echo "$_updates_available" > "$_target_file"
+
 pacman -Sy
-_query_output=$(pacman -Qu)
-
-# TODO - get update count from above
-echo "$_query_output"
-
-# check $_updates_available is algebraically equal to itself (i.e., is a number)
-# https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/151655
-if ! [ "$_updates_available" -eq "$_updates_available" ] 2> /dev/null ; then
-  _updates_available="-1"
-fi
+_updates_available=$(pacman -Qu | wc -l)
 
 echo "Adding $_updates_available available updates to $_target_file"
 echo "$_updates_available" > "$_target_file"