diff --git a/gnu/usr.bin/rcs/lib/rcskeys.c b/gnu/usr.bin/rcs/lib/rcskeys.c
index db6f9c90a934..378f57dd0f77 100644
--- a/gnu/usr.bin/rcs/lib/rcskeys.c
+++ b/gnu/usr.bin/rcs/lib/rcskeys.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ setRCSLocalId(string)
 	next = copy;
 	key = strtok(next, "=");
 	if (strlen(key) > keylength)
-		error("LocalId is too long");
+		faterror("LocalId is too long");
 	VOID strcpy(local_id, key);
 	Keyword[LocalId] = local_id;