diff --git a/misc/core.func b/misc/core.func
index 6b4190caa..220281958 100644
--- a/misc/core.func
+++ b/misc/core.func
@@ -527,29 +527,23 @@ silent() {
   fi
 
   if [[ $rc -ne 0 ]]; then
-    # Source explain_exit_code if needed
-    if ! declare -f explain_exit_code >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      if ! source <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/main/misc/error_handler.func); then
-        explain_exit_code() { echo "unknown (error_handler.func download failed)"; }
-      fi
-    fi
+    # Return instead of exit so that callers can use `$STD cmd || true`
+    # or `if $STD cmd; then ...` to handle errors gracefully.
+    # When no || / if is used, set -e + ERR trap will still catch it
+    # and error_handler() will display the error and exit.
+    #
+    # Set flag so error_handler knows to show log tail from silent's logfile
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_RC="$rc"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_CMD="$cmd"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_LINE="$caller_line"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_LOG="$logfile"
 
-    local explanation
-    explanation="$(explain_exit_code "$rc")"
-
-    printf "\e[?25h"
-    msg_error "in line ${caller_line}: exit code ${rc} (${explanation})"
-    msg_custom "→" "${YWB}" "${cmd}"
-
-    if [[ -s "$logfile" ]]; then
-      echo -e "\n${TAB}--- Last 20 lines of log ---"
-      tail -n 20 "$logfile"
-      echo -e "${TAB}-----------------------------------"
-      echo -e "${TAB}📋 Full log: ${logfile}\n"
-    fi
-
-    exit "$rc"
+    return "$rc"
   fi
+
+  # Clear stale flags on success (prevents false positives if a previous
+  # $STD cmd || true failed and a later non-silent command triggers error_handler)
+  unset _SILENT_FAILED_RC _SILENT_FAILED_CMD _SILENT_FAILED_LINE _SILENT_FAILED_LOG 2>/dev/null || true
 }
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/misc/error_handler.func b/misc/error_handler.func
index bf81ea9bf..dd816dc22 100644
--- a/misc/error_handler.func
+++ b/misc/error_handler.func
@@ -236,6 +236,16 @@ error_handler() {
 
   command="${command//\$STD/}"
 
+  # If error originated from silent(), use its captured metadata
+  # This provides the actual command and line number instead of "silent ..."
+  if [[ -n "${_SILENT_FAILED_RC:-}" ]]; then
+    exit_code="$_SILENT_FAILED_RC"
+    command="$_SILENT_FAILED_CMD"
+    line_number="$_SILENT_FAILED_LINE"
+    # Clear flags to prevent stale data on subsequent errors
+    unset _SILENT_FAILED_RC _SILENT_FAILED_CMD _SILENT_FAILED_LINE
+  fi
+
   if [[ "$exit_code" -eq 0 ]]; then
     return 0
   fi
@@ -279,8 +289,12 @@ error_handler() {
   fi
 
   # Get active log file (BUILD_LOG or INSTALL_LOG)
+  # Prefer silent()'s logfile when available (contains the actual command output)
   local active_log=""
-  if declare -f get_active_logfile >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  if [[ -n "${_SILENT_FAILED_LOG:-}" && -s "${_SILENT_FAILED_LOG}" ]]; then
+    active_log="$_SILENT_FAILED_LOG"
+    unset _SILENT_FAILED_LOG
+  elif declare -f get_active_logfile >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     active_log="$(get_active_logfile)"
   elif [[ -n "${SILENT_LOGFILE:-}" ]]; then
     active_log="$SILENT_LOGFILE"
diff --git a/misc/vm-core.func b/misc/vm-core.func
index f0d44cfa2..dd0595700 100644
--- a/misc/vm-core.func
+++ b/misc/vm-core.func
@@ -188,32 +188,18 @@ silent() {
   trap 'error_handler' ERR
 
   if [[ $rc -ne 0 ]]; then
-    # Source explain_exit_code if needed
-    if ! declare -f explain_exit_code >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      source <(curl -fsSL https://git.community-scripts.org/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/raw/branch/main/misc/error_handler.func) 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
+    # Return instead of exit so that callers can use `$STD cmd || true`
+    # When no || is used, set -e + ERR trap catches it via error_handler()
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_RC="$rc"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_CMD="$cmd"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_LINE="$caller_line"
+    export _SILENT_FAILED_LOG="$logfile"
 
-    local explanation=""
-    if declare -f explain_exit_code >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      explanation="$(explain_exit_code "$rc")"
-    fi
-
-    printf "\e[?25h"
-    if [[ -n "$explanation" ]]; then
-      msg_error "in line ${caller_line}: exit code ${rc} (${explanation})"
-    else
-      msg_error "in line ${caller_line}: exit code ${rc}"
-    fi
-    msg_custom "→" "${YWB}" "${cmd}"
-
-    if [[ -s "$logfile" ]]; then
-      echo -e "\n${TAB}--- Last 20 lines of log ---"
-      tail -n 20 "$logfile"
-      echo -e "${TAB}----------------------------\n"
-    fi
-
-    exit "$rc"
+    return "$rc"
   fi
+
+  # Clear stale flags on success
+  unset _SILENT_FAILED_RC _SILENT_FAILED_CMD _SILENT_FAILED_LINE _SILENT_FAILED_LOG 2>/dev/null || true
 }
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------