diff --git a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-1.0-r3.ebuild b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-1.0-r3.ebuild
index 2f7d18739a291..4650a13e7f006 100644
--- a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-1.0-r3.ebuild
+++ b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-1.0-r3.ebuild
@@ -38,14 +38,18 @@ pkg_preinst() {
 pkg_postinst() {
 	local backup=${T}/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
 	local real=${EROOT}/etc/sgml/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
+
 	if ! cmp -s "${backup}" "${real}"; then
 		cp "${backup}" "${real}" || die
 	fi
-	build-docbook-catalog
+
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postinst
 }
 
 pkg_postrm() {
-	build-docbook-catalog
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postrm
 }
diff --git a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.4-r4.ebuild b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.4-r4.ebuild
index 8e164c62c1574..ebc3aba11d400 100644
--- a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.4-r4.ebuild
+++ b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.4-r4.ebuild
@@ -41,14 +41,18 @@ pkg_preinst() {
 pkg_postinst() {
 	local backup=${T}/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
 	local real=${EROOT}/etc/sgml/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
+
 	if ! cmp -s "${backup}" "${real}"; then
 		cp "${backup}" "${real}" || die
 	fi
-	build-docbook-catalog
+
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postinst
 }
 
 pkg_postrm() {
-	build-docbook-catalog
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postrm
 }
diff --git a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.5-r3.ebuild b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.5-r3.ebuild
index 64ebd01a12462..5e77faad07991 100644
--- a/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.5-r3.ebuild
+++ b/app-text/docbook-xml-simple-dtd/docbook-xml-simple-dtd-4.1.2.5-r3.ebuild
@@ -38,14 +38,18 @@ pkg_preinst() {
 pkg_postinst() {
 	local backup=${T}/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
 	local real=${EROOT}/etc/sgml/xml-simple-docbook-${PV}.cat
+
 	if ! cmp -s "${backup}" "${real}"; then
 		cp "${backup}" "${real}" || die
 	fi
-	build-docbook-catalog
+
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postinst
 }
 
 pkg_postrm() {
-	build-docbook-catalog
+	# See bug #816303 for rationale behind die
+	build-docbook-catalog || die "Failed to regenerate docbook catalog. Is /run mounted?"
 	sgml-catalog-r1_pkg_postrm
 }