diff --git a/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c b/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
index 23aebd1bb..7e77befe6 100644
--- a/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
+++ b/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
@@ -363,14 +363,20 @@ void fatal(int f, char *msg)
 }
 
 void
-fatalperror(int f, const char *msg)
+fatalperror_errno(int f, const char *msg, int error)
 {
     char buf[BUFSIZ];
     
-    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s: %s", msg, strerror(errno));
+    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s: %s", msg, strerror(error));
     fatal(f, buf);
 }
 
+void
+fatalperror(int f, const char *msg)
+{
+    return fatalperror_errno(f, msg, errno);
+}
+
 char editedhost[32];
 
 void edithost(char *pat, char *host)