diff --git a/__tests__/install-python.test.ts b/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
index c3a6e7b4..70a109ac 100644
--- a/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/install-python.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,25 @@ import * as tc from '@actions/tool-cache';
 jest.mock('@actions/http-client');
 jest.mock('@actions/tool-cache');
 
-const mockManifest = [{version: '1.0.0'}];
+const mockManifest = [
+  {
+    version: '3.9.0',
+    stable: true,
+    release_url: 'https://example.com/release-url',
+    files: [
+      {
+        filename: 'python-3.9.0-macosx10.9.pkg',
+        arch: 'x64',
+        platform: 'darwin',
+        download_url: 'https://example.com/download-url'
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+];
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  jest.resetAllMocks();
+});
 
 describe('getManifest', () => {
   it('should return manifest from repo', async () => {
diff --git a/dist/setup/index.js b/dist/setup/index.js
index e56f9660..0000cc58 100644
--- a/dist/setup/index.js
+++ b/dist/setup/index.js
@@ -91646,20 +91646,49 @@ exports.findReleaseFromManifest = findReleaseFromManifest;
 function getManifest() {
     return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
         try {
-            return yield getManifestFromRepo();
+            const manifestFromRepo = yield getManifestFromRepo();
+            core.info('Successfully fetched the manifest from the repo.');
+            validateManifest(manifestFromRepo);
+            return manifestFromRepo;
         }
         catch (err) {
-            core.debug('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.');
-            if (err instanceof Error) {
-                core.debug(err.message);
-            }
+            logError('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.', err);
+        }
+        try {
+            const manifestFromURL = yield getManifestFromURL();
+            core.info('Successfully fetched the manifest from the URL.');
+            return manifestFromURL;
+        }
+        catch (err) {
+            logError('Fetching the manifest via the URL failed.', err);
+            // Rethrow the error or return a default value
+            throw new Error('Failed to fetch the manifest from both the repo and the URL.');
         }
-        return yield getManifestFromURL();
     });
 }
 exports.getManifest = getManifest;
+function validateManifest(manifest) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(manifest) || !manifest.every(isValidManifestEntry)) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid manifest response');
+    }
+}
+function isValidManifestEntry(entry) {
+    return (typeof entry.version === 'string' &&
+        typeof entry.stable === 'boolean' &&
+        typeof entry.release_url === 'string' &&
+        Array.isArray(entry.files) &&
+        entry.files.every(isValidFileEntry));
+}
+function isValidFileEntry(file) {
+    return (typeof file.filename === 'string' &&
+        typeof file.arch === 'string' &&
+        typeof file.platform === 'string' &&
+        (typeof file.platform_version === 'string' ||
+            file.platform_version === undefined) &&
+        typeof file.download_url === 'string');
+}
 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}@${MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH}`);
     return tc.getManifestFromRepo(MANIFEST_REPO_OWNER, MANIFEST_REPO_NAME, AUTH, MANIFEST_REPO_BRANCH);
 }
 exports.getManifestFromRepo = getManifestFromRepo;
@@ -91690,34 +91719,29 @@ function installPython(workingDirectory) {
                 }
             }
         };
-        if (utils_1.IS_WINDOWS) {
-            yield exec.exec('powershell', ['./setup.ps1'], options);
-        }
-        else {
-            yield exec.exec('bash', ['./setup.sh'], options);
-        }
+        const script = utils_1.IS_WINDOWS ? 'powershell ./setup.ps1' : 'bash ./setup.sh';
+        yield exec.exec(script, [], options);
     });
 }
 function installCpythonFromRelease(release) {
     return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
         const downloadUrl = release.files[0].download_url;
         core.info(`Download from "${downloadUrl}"`);
-        let pythonPath = '';
         try {
             const fileName = (0, utils_1.getDownloadFileName)(downloadUrl);
-            pythonPath = yield tc.downloadTool(downloadUrl, fileName, AUTH);
+            const pythonPath = yield tc.downloadTool(downloadUrl, fileName, AUTH);
             core.info('Extract downloaded archive');
-            let pythonExtractedFolder;
-            if (utils_1.IS_WINDOWS) {
-                pythonExtractedFolder = yield tc.extractZip(pythonPath);
-            }
-            else {
-                pythonExtractedFolder = yield tc.extractTar(pythonPath);
-            }
+            const pythonExtractedFolder = utils_1.IS_WINDOWS
+                ? yield tc.extractZip(pythonPath)
+                : yield tc.extractTar(pythonPath);
             core.info('Execute installation script');
             yield installPython(pythonExtractedFolder);
         }
         catch (err) {
+            handleDownloadError(err);
+            throw err;
+        }
+        function handleDownloadError(err) {
             if (err instanceof tc.HTTPError) {
                 // Rate limit?
                 if (err.httpStatusCode === 403 || err.httpStatusCode === 429) {
@@ -91730,11 +91754,16 @@ function installCpythonFromRelease(release) {
                     core.debug(err.stack);
                 }
             }
-            throw err;
         }
     });
 }
 exports.installCpythonFromRelease = installCpythonFromRelease;
+function logError(message, err) {
+    core.info(message);
+    if (err instanceof Error) {
+        core.info(err.message);
+    }
+}
 
 
 /***/ }),
diff --git a/src/install-python.ts b/src/install-python.ts
index d3421bf8..c40604f8 100644
--- a/src/install-python.ts
+++ b/src/install-python.ts
@@ -28,24 +28,60 @@ export async function findReleaseFromManifest(
     manifest,
     architecture
   );
-
   return foundRelease;
 }
 
 export async function getManifest(): Promise<tc.IToolRelease[]> {
   try {
-    return await getManifestFromRepo();
+    const manifestFromRepo = await getManifestFromRepo();
+    core.info('Successfully fetched the manifest from the repo.');
+    validateManifest(manifestFromRepo);
+    return manifestFromRepo;
   } catch (err) {
-    core.debug('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.');
-    if (err instanceof Error) {
-      core.debug(err.message);
-    }
+    logError('Fetching the manifest via the API failed.', err);
   }
-  return await getManifestFromURL();
+  try {
+    const manifestFromURL = await getManifestFromURL();
+    core.info('Successfully fetched the manifest from the URL.');
+    return manifestFromURL;
+  } catch (err) {
+    logError('Fetching the manifest via the URL failed.', err);
+    // Rethrow the error or return a default value
+    throw new Error(
+      'Failed to fetch the manifest from both the repo and the URL.'
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+function validateManifest(manifest: any): void {
+  if (!Array.isArray(manifest) || !manifest.every(isValidManifestEntry)) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid manifest response');
+  }
+}
+
+function isValidManifestEntry(entry: any): boolean {
+  return (
+    typeof entry.version === 'string' &&
+    typeof entry.stable === 'boolean' &&
+    typeof entry.release_url === 'string' &&
+    Array.isArray(entry.files) &&
+    entry.files.every(isValidFileEntry)
+  );
+}
+
+function isValidFileEntry(file: any): boolean {
+  return (
+    typeof file.filename === 'string' &&
+    typeof file.arch === 'string' &&
+    typeof file.platform === 'string' &&
+    (typeof file.platform_version === 'string' ||
+      file.platform_version === undefined) &&
+    typeof file.download_url === 'string'
+  );
 }
 
 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(
@@ -85,32 +121,30 @@ async function installPython(workingDirectory: string) {
     }
   };
 
-  if (IS_WINDOWS) {
-    await exec.exec('powershell', ['./setup.ps1'], options);
-  } else {
-    await exec.exec('bash', ['./setup.sh'], options);
-  }
+  const script = IS_WINDOWS ? 'powershell ./setup.ps1' : 'bash ./setup.sh';
+  await exec.exec(script, [], options);
 }
 
 export async function installCpythonFromRelease(release: tc.IToolRelease) {
   const downloadUrl = release.files[0].download_url;
 
   core.info(`Download from "${downloadUrl}"`);
-  let pythonPath = '';
   try {
     const fileName = getDownloadFileName(downloadUrl);
-    pythonPath = await tc.downloadTool(downloadUrl, fileName, AUTH);
+    const pythonPath = await tc.downloadTool(downloadUrl, fileName, AUTH);
     core.info('Extract downloaded archive');
-    let pythonExtractedFolder;
-    if (IS_WINDOWS) {
-      pythonExtractedFolder = await tc.extractZip(pythonPath);
-    } else {
-      pythonExtractedFolder = await tc.extractTar(pythonPath);
-    }
+    const pythonExtractedFolder = IS_WINDOWS
+      ? await tc.extractZip(pythonPath)
+      : await tc.extractTar(pythonPath);
 
     core.info('Execute installation script');
     await installPython(pythonExtractedFolder);
   } catch (err) {
+    handleDownloadError(err);
+    throw err;
+  }
+
+  function handleDownloadError(err: any): void {
     if (err instanceof tc.HTTPError) {
       // Rate limit?
       if (err.httpStatusCode === 403 || err.httpStatusCode === 429) {
@@ -124,6 +158,12 @@ export async function installCpythonFromRelease(release: tc.IToolRelease) {
         core.debug(err.stack);
       }
     }
-    throw err;
+  }
+}
+
+function logError(message: string, err: any): void {
+  core.info(message);
+  if (err instanceof Error) {
+    core.info(err.message);
   }
 }