diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 3db5bf3..c7c7236 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2024-10-28 - 1.5.5 - fix(core)
+Handled non-existent package in publish module to avoid errors
+
+- Added error handling in TsPublish for packages not yet existing in the registry.
+
 ## 2024-10-28 - 1.5.4 - fix(core)
 Fix issues with path keys in tsconfig and logger setup in logging.ts.
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 15d5872..9b664a0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
   ],
   "dependencies": {
     "@push.rocks/smartcli": "^4.0.11",
+    "@push.rocks/smartdelay": "^3.0.5",
     "@push.rocks/smartfile": "^11.0.21",
     "@push.rocks/smartlog": "^3.0.7",
     "@push.rocks/smartnpm": "^2.0.4",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index e0a235b..430b1f9 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ dependencies:
   '@push.rocks/smartcli':
     specifier: ^4.0.11
     version: 4.0.11
+  '@push.rocks/smartdelay':
+    specifier: ^3.0.5
+    version: 3.0.5
   '@push.rocks/smartfile':
     specifier: ^11.0.21
     version: 11.0.21
diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index bada5ed..8b5fb9a 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@git.zone/tspublish',
-  version: '1.5.4',
+  version: '1.5.5',
   description: 'A tool to publish multiple, concise, and small packages from monorepos, specifically for TypeScript projects within a git environment.'
 }
diff --git a/ts/classes.publishmodule.ts b/ts/classes.publishmodule.ts
index 0d1bca6..8cc7365 100644
--- a/ts/classes.publishmodule.ts
+++ b/ts/classes.publishmodule.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ export class PublishModule {
 
     // now that we have a name and version, lets check if there is already a package under the same name and version.
     const smartnpmInstance = new plugins.smartnpm.NpmRegistry({}); // TODO: pass in options
-    const packageInfo = await smartnpmInstance.getPackageInfo(this.options.name);
+    let packageInfo: plugins.smartnpm.NpmPackage;
+    try {
+      packageInfo = await smartnpmInstance.getPackageInfo(this.options.name);
+    } catch (error) {
+      logger.log('warn', `package does not yet seem to exist. Proceeding in 10 seconds...`);
+      await plugins.smartdelay.delayFor(10000);
+    }
     if (packageInfo) {
       const availableVersions = packageInfo.allVersions.map((versionArg) => versionArg.version);
       logger.log('info', `available versions are: ${availableVersions.toString()}`);
diff --git a/ts/plugins.ts b/ts/plugins.ts
index 221c179..3549f6d 100644
--- a/ts/plugins.ts
+++ b/ts/plugins.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ export {
 // @push.rocks scope
 import * as smartfile from '@push.rocks/smartfile';
 import * as smartcli from '@push.rocks/smartcli';
+import * as smartdelay from '@push.rocks/smartdelay';
 import * as smartlog from '@push.rocks/smartlog';
 import * as smartnpm from '@push.rocks/smartnpm';
 import * as smartpath from '@push.rocks/smartpath';
 import * as smartshell from '@push.rocks/smartshell';
 
-export { smartfile, smartcli, smartlog, smartnpm, smartpath, smartshell };
+export { smartfile, smartcli, smartdelay, smartlog, smartnpm, smartpath, smartshell };