diff --git a/kdc/misc.c b/kdc/misc.c
index e4ba8e05a..60d7dc286 100644
--- a/kdc/misc.c
+++ b/kdc/misc.c
@@ -46,12 +46,14 @@ _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
 	      hdb_entry_ex **h)
 {
     hdb_entry_ex *ent;
-    krb5_error_code ret = HDB_ERR_NOENTRY;
+    krb5_error_code ret;
     int i;
 
     ent = calloc (1, sizeof (*ent));
-    if (ent == NULL)
+    if (ent == NULL) {
+	krb5_set_error_string(context, "out of memory");
 	return ENOMEM;
+    }
 
     for(i = 0; i < config->num_db; i++) {
 	ret = config->db[i]->hdb_open(context, config->db[i], O_RDONLY, 0);
@@ -74,7 +76,8 @@ _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
 	}
     }
     free(ent);
-    return ret;
+    krb5_set_error_string(context, "no such entry found in hdb");
+    return  HDB_ERR_NOENTRY;
 }
 
 void