diff --git a/client/ipa-join.c b/client/ipa-join.c
index ac8251fef..837e7ce39 100644
--- a/client/ipa-join.c
+++ b/client/ipa-join.c
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ main(int argc, const char **argv) {
 
     ret = init_gettext();
     if (ret) {
-        exit(2);
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load translations\n");
     }
 
     pc = poptGetContext("ipa-join", argc, (const char **)argv, options, 0);
diff --git a/client/ipa-rmkeytab.c b/client/ipa-rmkeytab.c
index 3687b1dc7..e3d9eedc4 100644
--- a/client/ipa-rmkeytab.c
+++ b/client/ipa-rmkeytab.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ main(int argc, const char **argv)
 
     ret = init_gettext();
     if (ret) {
-        exit(1);
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load translations\n");
     }
 
     memset(&ktid, 0, sizeof(ktid));