diff --git a/barbican/cmd/barbican_manage.py b/barbican/cmd/barbican_manage.py
index 530d92008..aba1aeb65 100644
--- a/barbican/cmd/barbican_manage.py
+++ b/barbican/cmd/barbican_manage.py
@@ -485,7 +485,8 @@ def main():
     try:
         return fn(CONF, *fn_args, **fn_kwargs)
     except Exception as e:
-        sys.exit("ERROR: %s" % e)
+        sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/barbican/cmd/keystone_listener.py b/barbican/cmd/keystone_listener.py
index 65498e266..84b11a035 100644
--- a/barbican/cmd/keystone_listener.py
+++ b/barbican/cmd/keystone_listener.py
@@ -30,11 +30,6 @@ from oslo_service.backend import init_backend
 from oslo_service import service
 
 
-def fail(returncode, e):
-    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
-    sys.exit(returncode)
-
-
 def main():
     try:
         config.setup_remote_pydev_debug()
@@ -64,7 +59,8 @@ def main():
         else:
             LOG.info("Exiting as Barbican Keystone listener is not enabled...")
     except RuntimeError as e:
-        fail(1, e)
+        sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/barbican/cmd/retry_scheduler.py b/barbican/cmd/retry_scheduler.py
index f3f946a38..07a25ab93 100644
--- a/barbican/cmd/retry_scheduler.py
+++ b/barbican/cmd/retry_scheduler.py
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@ from oslo_log import log
 from oslo_service import service
 
 
-def fail(returncode, e):
-    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
-    sys.exit(returncode)
-
-
 def main():
     try:
         CONF = config.CONF
@@ -54,7 +49,8 @@ def main():
             restart_method='mutate'
         ).wait()
     except RuntimeError as e:
-        fail(1, e)
+        sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/barbican/cmd/worker.py b/barbican/cmd/worker.py
index 163d39ed2..1ca087b6c 100644
--- a/barbican/cmd/worker.py
+++ b/barbican/cmd/worker.py
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@ from oslo_service.backend import init_backend
 from oslo_service import service
 
 
-def fail(returncode, e):
-    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
-    sys.exit(returncode)
-
-
 def main():
     try:
         # Ensure oslo.service uses the threading backend early
@@ -60,7 +55,8 @@ def main():
             restart_method='mutate'
         ).wait()
     except RuntimeError as e:
-        fail(1, e)
+        sys.stderr.write("ERROR: {0}\n".format(e))
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':