diff --git a/pmctl/main.go b/pmctl/main.go
index 0252a799..01644c31 100644
--- a/pmctl/main.go
+++ b/pmctl/main.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ var (
 		},
 		Beta:    false,
 		DevMode: false,
-		Online:  false,
+		Online:  true, // is disabled later based on command
 	}
 
 	rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -182,17 +182,12 @@ func cmdSetup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 			Beta:   false,
 		})
 
-		registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
-			Path:   "beta.json",
-			Stable: false,
-			Beta:   true,
-		})
-
-		registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
-			Path:   "all/intel/intel.json",
-			Stable: true,
-			Beta:   false,
-		})
+		// TODO: enable loading beta versions
+		// registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
+		// Path:   "beta.json",
+		// Stable: false,
+		// Beta:   true,
+		// })
 
 		updateRegistryIndex()
 	}
diff --git a/pmctl/run.go b/pmctl/run.go
index c1cad7f8..eb5fc367 100644
--- a/pmctl/run.go
+++ b/pmctl/run.go
@@ -104,12 +104,10 @@ func handleRun(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *Options) (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func run(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *Options) (err error) {
+func run(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *Options) (err error) { //nolint:gocognit
 
 	// set download option
-	if opts.AllowDownload {
-		registry.Online = true
-	}
+	registry.Online = opts.AllowDownload
 
 	// parse identifier
 	opts.ShortIdentifier = path.Dir(opts.Identifier)
@@ -187,8 +185,16 @@ func run(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *Options) (err error) {
 				log.Println("error seems to be permanent, giving up...")
 				return err
 			}
+			// resilience
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(tries) * 2 * time.Second)
+			if tries >= 2 {
+				// try updating
+				updateRegistryIndex()
+			}
 			log.Println("trying again...")
 		case tryAgain && err == nil:
+			// reset error count
+			tries = 0
 			// upgrade
 			log.Println("restarting by request...")
 			// update index