diff --git a/mopidy_iris/core.py b/mopidy_iris/core.py
index 1cb01b53..a8b46170 100755
--- a/mopidy_iris/core.py
+++ b/mopidy_iris/core.py
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ class IrisCore(pykka.ThreadingActor):
             upgrade_available = cmp( parse_version( latest_version ), parse_version( self.version ) )
             upgrade_available = ( upgrade_available == 1 )
 
-        except urllib2.HTTPError as e:
+        except (urllib2.HTTPError, urllib2.URLError) as e:
             latest_version = '0.0.0'
             upgrade_available = False
 
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ class IrisCore(pykka.ThreadingActor):
             else:
                 return response
 
-        except urllib2.HTTPError as e:
+        except (urllib2.HTTPError, urllib2.URLError) as e:
             error = json.loads(e.read())
             error = {'message': 'Could not refresh token: '+error['error_description']}