diff --git a/gwinc/__main__.py b/gwinc/__main__.py
index f96382387af7d2b9bf114ee22ce471228534c1dc..07e5dcaa5bc7d92b6c55483f8beef99b02806b2d 100644
--- a/gwinc/__main__.py
+++ b/gwinc/__main__.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def main():
         try:
             freq = freq_from_spec(args.freq)
         except IndexError:
-            parser.exit(2, "Improper frequency specification: {}\n".format(args.freq))
+            parser.error(f"Improper frequency specification: {args.freq}")
         try:
             budget = load_budget(args.IFO, freq=freq)
         except RuntimeError as e: