diff --git a/gtk/tr-core.c b/gtk/tr-core.c
index 369af1c9b..fd552863a 100644
--- a/gtk/tr-core.c
+++ b/gtk/tr-core.c
@@ -1693,7 +1693,7 @@ static void
 blocklistResponseFunc( TrCore * core, tr_benc * response, gpointer userData UNUSED )
 {
     tr_benc * args;
-    int64_t ruleCount = 0;
+    int64_t ruleCount = -1;
 
     if( tr_bencDictFindDict( response, "arguments", &args ) )
         tr_bencDictFindInt( args, "blocklist-size", &ruleCount );
diff --git a/gtk/tr-prefs.c b/gtk/tr-prefs.c
index 03b869476..35235ec31 100644
--- a/gtk/tr-prefs.c
+++ b/gtk/tr-prefs.c
@@ -425,12 +425,14 @@ onBlocklistUpdateResponse( GtkDialog * dialog, gint response UNUSED, gpointer gd
 static void
 onBlocklistUpdated( TrCore * core, int n, gpointer gdata )
 {
-    const char * s = gtr_ngettext( "Blocklist now has %'d rule.", "Blocklist now has %'d rules.", n );
+    const tr_bool success = n >= 0;
+    const int count = n >=0 ? n : tr_blocklistGetRuleCount( tr_core_session( core ) );
+    const char * s = gtr_ngettext( "Blocklist has %'d rule.", "Blocklist has %'d rules.", count );
     struct blocklist_data * data = gdata;
     GtkMessageDialog * d = GTK_MESSAGE_DIALOG( data->updateBlocklistDialog );
     gtk_widget_set_sensitive( data->updateBlocklistButton, TRUE );
-    gtk_message_dialog_set_markup( d, _( "<b>Update succeeded!</b>" ) );
-    gtk_message_dialog_format_secondary_text( d, s, n );
+    gtk_message_dialog_set_markup( d, success ? _( "<b>Update succeeded!</b>" ) : _( "<b>Unable to update.</b>" ) );
+    gtk_message_dialog_format_secondary_text( d, s, count );
     updateBlocklistText( data->label, core );
 }