diff --git a/cat.c b/cat.c
index 51f1d27a6..151ce4e61 100644
--- a/cat.c
+++ b/cat.c
@@ -26,20 +26,21 @@
 
 extern int cat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+	int status = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+
 	if (argc == 1) {
 		print_file(stdin);
-		exit(TRUE);
+		return status;
 	}
 
 	while (--argc > 0) {
 		if(!(strcmp(*++argv, "-"))) {
 			print_file(stdin);
 		} else if (print_file_by_name(*argv) == FALSE) {
-			perror(*argv);
-			exit(FALSE);
+			status = EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 	}
-	return(TRUE);
+	return status;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/coreutils/cat.c b/coreutils/cat.c
index 51f1d27a6..151ce4e61 100644
--- a/coreutils/cat.c
+++ b/coreutils/cat.c
@@ -26,20 +26,21 @@
 
 extern int cat_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+	int status = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+
 	if (argc == 1) {
 		print_file(stdin);
-		exit(TRUE);
+		return status;
 	}
 
 	while (--argc > 0) {
 		if(!(strcmp(*++argv, "-"))) {
 			print_file(stdin);
 		} else if (print_file_by_name(*argv) == FALSE) {
-			perror(*argv);
-			exit(FALSE);
+			status = EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 	}
-	return(TRUE);
+	return status;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/utility.c b/utility.c
index ae69baf4b..df2515c2b 100644
--- a/utility.c
+++ b/utility.c
@@ -1636,12 +1636,13 @@ extern int print_file_by_name(char *filename)
 	FILE *file;
 	file = fopen(filename, "r");
 	if (file == NULL) {
+		errorMsg("%s: %s\n", filename, strerror(errno));
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 	print_file(file);
 	return TRUE;
 }
-#endif /* BB_CAT || BB_LSMOD */
+#endif /* BB_CAT */
 
 #if defined BB_ECHO || defined BB_TR
 char process_escape_sequence(char **ptr)