diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-cache.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-cache.yml
index 4675b869..a3c9a2ba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-cache.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-cache.yml
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ jobs:
             python-version: pypy-3.10-v7.x
           - os: ubuntu-22.04-arm
             python-version: pypy-3.11-v7.x
+          - os: ubuntu-22.04-arm
+            python-version: pypy-3.10-v7.x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Setup Python
diff --git a/__tests__/install-python.test.ts b/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
index c3a6e7b4..51f9fa77 100644
--- a/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
@@ -8,10 +8,29 @@ import * as tc from '@actions/tool-cache';
 
 jest.mock('@actions/http-client');
 jest.mock('@actions/tool-cache');
-
-const mockManifest = [{version: '1.0.0'}];
+jest.mock('@actions/tool-cache', () => ({
+  getManifestFromRepo: jest.fn()
+}));
+const mockManifest = [
+  {
+    version: '1.0.0',
+    stable: true,
+    files: [
+      {
+        filename: 'tool-v1.0.0-linux-x64.tar.gz',
+        platform: 'linux',
+        arch: 'x64',
+        download_url: 'https://example.com/tool-v1.0.0-linux-x64.tar.gz'
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+];
 
 describe('getManifest', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetAllMocks();
+  });
+
   it('should return manifest from repo', async () => {
     (tc.getManifestFromRepo as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue(mockManifest);
     const manifest = await getManifest();
diff --git a/dist/setup/index.js b/dist/setup/index.js
index 2cdcfaad..8dd57530 100644
--- a/dist/setup/index.js
+++ b/dist/setup/index.js
@@ -97461,15 +97461,36 @@ function findReleaseFromManifest(semanticVersionSpec, architecture, manifest) {
     });
 }
 exports.findReleaseFromManifest = findReleaseFromManifest;
+function isIToolRelease(obj) {
+    return (typeof obj === 'object' &&
+        obj !== null &&
+        typeof obj.version === 'string' &&
+        typeof obj.stable === 'boolean' &&
+        Array.isArray(obj.files) &&
+        obj.files.every((file) => typeof file.filename === 'string' &&
+            typeof file.platform === 'string' &&
+            typeof file.arch === 'string' &&
+            typeof file.download_url === 'string'));
+}
 function getManifest() {
     return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
         try {
-            return yield getManifestFromRepo();
+            const repoManifest = yield getManifestFromRepo();
+            if (Array.isArray(repoManifest) &&
+                repoManifest.length &&
+                repoManifest.every(isIToolRelease)) {
+                return repoManifest;
+            }
+            throw new Error('The repository manifest is invalid or does not include any valid tool release (IToolRelease) entries.');
         }
         catch (err) {
-            core.debug('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.');
+            core.debug('Failed to fetch the manifest from the repository API.');
             if (err instanceof Error) {
-                core.debug(err.message);
+                core.debug(`Error message: ${err.message}`);
+                core.debug(`Error stack: ${err.stack}`);
+            }
+            else {
+                core.error('An unexpected error occurred while fetching the manifest.');
             }
         }
         return yield getManifestFromURL();
@@ -97477,17 +97498,17 @@ function getManifest() {
 }
 exports.getManifest = getManifest;
 function getManifestFromRepo() {
-    core.debug(`Getting manifest from ${MANIFEST_REPO_OWNER}/${MANIFEST_REPO_NAME}@${MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH}`);
+    core.info(`Getting manifest from ${MANIFEST_REPO_OWNER}/${MANIFEST_REPO_NAME}@${MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH}`);
     return tc.getManifestFromRepo(MANIFEST_REPO_OWNER, MANIFEST_REPO_NAME, AUTH, MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH);
 }
 exports.getManifestFromRepo = getManifestFromRepo;
 function getManifestFromURL() {
     return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-        core.debug('Falling back to fetching the manifest using raw URL.');
+        core.info('Falling back to fetching the manifest using raw URL.');
         const http = new httpm.HttpClient('tool-cache');
         const response = yield http.getJson(exports.MANIFEST_URL);
         if (!response.result) {
-            throw new Error(`Unable to get manifest from ${exports.MANIFEST_URL}`);
+            throw new Error(`Unable to get manifest from ${exports.MANIFEST_URL}. HTTP status: ${response.statusCode}`);
         }
         return response.result;
     });
@@ -97518,6 +97539,9 @@ function installPython(workingDirectory) {
 }
 function installCpythonFromRelease(release) {
     return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+        if (!release.files || release.files.length === 0) {
+            throw new Error('No files found in the release to download.');
+        }
         const downloadUrl = release.files[0].download_url;
         core.info(`Download from "${downloadUrl}"`);
         let pythonPath = '';
@@ -97537,15 +97561,22 @@ function installCpythonFromRelease(release) {
         }
         catch (err) {
             if (err instanceof tc.HTTPError) {
-                // Rate limit?
-                if (err.httpStatusCode === 403 || err.httpStatusCode === 429) {
-                    core.info(`Received HTTP status code ${err.httpStatusCode}.  This usually indicates the rate limit has been exceeded`);
+                const statusCode = err.httpStatusCode;
+                if (statusCode === 403 || statusCode === 429) {
+                    const rateLimitMessage = `HTTP ${statusCode} - Rate limit likely exceeded. This is typically due to too many requests or insufficient permissions.`;
+                    core.info(rateLimitMessage);
+                    if (err.stack) {
+                        core.debug(err.stack);
+                    }
+                    throw new Error(rateLimitMessage);
                 }
                 else {
-                    core.info(err.message);
-                }
-                if (err.stack) {
-                    core.debug(err.stack);
+                    const genericErrorMessage = `HTTP ${statusCode} - ${err.message}`;
+                    core.error(genericErrorMessage);
+                    if (err.stack) {
+                        core.debug(err.stack);
+                    }
+                    throw new Error(genericErrorMessage);
                 }
             }
             throw err;
diff --git a/src/install-python.ts b/src/install-python.ts
index d3421bf8..137dc9d9 100644
--- a/src/install-python.ts
+++ b/src/install-python.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import * as exec from '@actions/exec';
 import * as httpm from '@actions/http-client';
 import {ExecOptions} from '@actions/exec/lib/interfaces';
 import {IS_WINDOWS, IS_LINUX, getDownloadFileName} from './utils';
+import {IToolRelease} from '@actions/tool-cache';
 
 const TOKEN = core.getInput('token');
 const AUTH = !TOKEN ? undefined : `token ${TOKEN}`;
@@ -31,21 +32,49 @@ export async function findReleaseFromManifest(
 
   return foundRelease;
 }
-
+function isIToolRelease(obj: any): obj is IToolRelease {
+  return (
+    typeof obj === 'object' &&
+    obj !== null &&
+    typeof obj.version === 'string' &&
+    typeof obj.stable === 'boolean' &&
+    Array.isArray(obj.files) &&
+    obj.files.every(
+      (file: any) =>
+        typeof file.filename === 'string' &&
+        typeof file.platform === 'string' &&
+        typeof file.arch === 'string' &&
+        typeof file.download_url === 'string'
+    )
+  );
+}
 export async function getManifest(): Promise<tc.IToolRelease[]> {
   try {
-    return await getManifestFromRepo();
+    const repoManifest = await getManifestFromRepo();
+    if (
+      Array.isArray(repoManifest) &&
+      repoManifest.length &&
+      repoManifest.every(isIToolRelease)
+    ) {
+      return repoManifest;
+    }
+    throw new Error(
+      'The repository manifest is invalid or does not include any valid tool release (IToolRelease) entries.'
+    );
   } catch (err) {
-    core.debug('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.');
+    core.debug('Failed to fetch the manifest from the repository API.');
     if (err instanceof Error) {
-      core.debug(err.message);
+      core.debug(`Error message: ${err.message}`);
+      core.debug(`Error stack: ${err.stack}`);
+    } else {
+      core.error('An unexpected error occurred while fetching the manifest.');
     }
   }
   return await getManifestFromURL();
 }
 
 export function getManifestFromRepo(): Promise<tc.IToolRelease[]> {
-  core.debug(
+  core.info(
     `Getting manifest from ${MANIFEST_REPO_OWNER}/${MANIFEST_REPO_NAME}@${MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH}`
   );
   return tc.getManifestFromRepo(
@@ -57,12 +86,14 @@ export function getManifestFromRepo(): Promise<tc.IToolRelease[]> {
 }
 
 export async function getManifestFromURL(): Promise<tc.IToolRelease[]> {
-  core.debug('Falling back to fetching the manifest using raw URL.');
+  core.info('Falling back to fetching the manifest using raw URL.');
 
   const http: httpm.HttpClient = new httpm.HttpClient('tool-cache');
   const response = await http.getJson<tc.IToolRelease[]>(MANIFEST_URL);
   if (!response.result) {
-    throw new Error(`Unable to get manifest from ${MANIFEST_URL}`);
+    throw new Error(
+      `Unable to get manifest from ${MANIFEST_URL}. HTTP status: ${response.statusCode}`
+    );
   }
   return response.result;
 }
@@ -93,6 +124,10 @@ async function installPython(workingDirectory: string) {
 }
 
 export async function installCpythonFromRelease(release: tc.IToolRelease) {
+
+  if (!release.files || release.files.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error('No files found in the release to download.');
+  }
   const downloadUrl = release.files[0].download_url;
 
   core.info(`Download from "${downloadUrl}"`);