diff --git a/handlers/rsync.in b/handlers/rsync.in
index 3ac4c9bd2b62a1394933eac9765f5e1f6ea0e3d5..61a9838dc3d2d218bdb1690a6a2784818d36ed72 100644
--- a/handlers/rsync.in
+++ b/handlers/rsync.in
@@ -856,8 +856,7 @@ function set_lockfile {
     if ( set -o noclobber; echo "$$" > "$lockfile" ) &> /dev/null; then
       trap 'unset_lockfile' INT TERM EXIT
     else
-      info "Could not create lockfile $lockfile, exiting"
-      exit
+      fatal "Could not create lockfile $lockfile, exiting"
     fi
   fi