diff --git a/src/slurmctld/controller.c b/src/slurmctld/controller.c
index e74abe56e5232e03242a01865541dee06d5ec033..c1dc56bc23700374b413f88c9eee1eb4026d4b44 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/controller.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/controller.c
@@ -2285,8 +2285,10 @@ static void *_background_rpc_mgr(void *no_data)
 	/* initialize port for RPCs */
 	if ((sockfd =
 	     slurm_init_msg_engine_port(slurmctld_conf.slurmctld_port))
-	    == SLURM_SOCKET_ERROR)
-		fatal("slurm_init_msg_engine_port error %m");
+	    == SLURM_SOCKET_ERROR) {
+		error("slurm_init_msg_engine_port error %m");
+		exit(1);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Procss incoming RPCs indefinitely