diff --git a/sbin/ifconfig/ifieee80211.c b/sbin/ifconfig/ifieee80211.c
index 51f4f91dff40..ae8a281b5eb8 100644
--- a/sbin/ifconfig/ifieee80211.c
+++ b/sbin/ifconfig/ifieee80211.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ getregdata(void)
 	if (rdp == NULL) {
 		rdp = lib80211_alloc_regdata();
 		if (rdp == NULL)
-			exit(-1);
+			errx(-1, "missing or corrupted regdomain database");
 	}
 	return rdp;
 }