diff --git a/artemis-docker/prepare-docker.sh b/artemis-docker/prepare-docker.sh
index efe12dbfc8..5289b6473b 100755
--- a/artemis-docker/prepare-docker.sh
+++ b/artemis-docker/prepare-docker.sh
@@ -124,14 +124,23 @@ if [ -n "${FROM_RELEASE}" ]; then
 
   cleanup
 
-  ARTEMIS_BASE_URL="$(curl -s https://www.apache.org/dyn/closer.cgi\?preferred=true)activemq/activemq-artemis/${ARTEMIS_VERSION}/"
+  CDN="$(curl -s https://www.apache.org/dyn/closer.cgi\?preferred=true)activemq/activemq-artemis/${ARTEMIS_VERSION}/"
+  ARCHIVE="https://archive.apache.org/dist/activemq/activemq-artemis/${ARTEMIS_VERSION}/"
+  ARTEMIS_BASE_URL=CDN
   ARTEMIS_DIST_FILE_NAME="apache-artemis-${ARTEMIS_VERSION}-bin.tar.gz"
   CURL_OUTPUT="${BASE_TMPDIR}/${ARTEMIS_VERSION}/${ARTEMIS_DIST_FILE_NAME}"
 
   # Fallback to the Apache archive if the version doesn't exist on the CDN anymore
   if [ -z "$(curl -Is ${ARTEMIS_BASE_URL}${ARTEMIS_DIST_FILE_NAME} | head -n 1 | grep 200)" ]
   then
-    ARTEMIS_BASE_URL="https://archive.apache.org/dist/activemq/activemq-artemis/${ARTEMIS_VERSION}/"
+    ARTEMIS_BASE_URL=ARCHIVE
+  fi
+
+  # If the CDN doesn't work then report the failure and abort
+  if [ -z "$(curl -Is ${ARTEMIS_BASE_URL}${ARTEMIS_DIST_FILE_NAME} | head -n 1 | grep 200)" ]
+  then
+    echo "Failed to download ${ARTEMIS_DIST_FILE_NAME}. Tried both ${CDN} and ${ARCHIVE}."
+    exit 1
   fi
 
   if [ -z "$(ls -A ${BASE_TMPDIR}/${ARTEMIS_VERSION})" ]