diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index b4c5a8d2..eb215009 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ error:
 	c = ARRAY_FIRST(&clients);
 
 	server_write_error(c, cause);
+	server_write_client(c, MSG_EXIT, NULL, 0);
 	xfree(cause);
 
 	server_shutdown = 1;