diff --git a/examples/packet_ordering/main.c b/examples/packet_ordering/main.c
index 149bfdd02c..df64158847 100644
--- a/examples/packet_ordering/main.c
+++ b/examples/packet_ordering/main.c
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	/* Initialize EAL */
 	ret = rte_eal_init(argc, argv);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		return -1;
+		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "Invalid EAL arguments\n");
 
 	argc -= ret;
 	argv += ret;
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	/* Parse the application specific arguments */
 	ret = parse_args(argc, argv);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		return -1;
+		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "Invalid packet_ordering arguments\n");
 
 	/* Check if we have enought cores */
 	if (rte_lcore_count() < 3)