diff --git a/lib/exec_shell.c b/lib/exec_shell.c
index b2f178add..49b7df5bf 100644
--- a/lib/exec_shell.c
+++ b/lib/exec_shell.c
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ void __attribute__((__noreturn__)) exec_shell(void)
 	strcpy(arg0 + 1, shell_basename);
 
 	execl(shell, arg0, NULL);
-	err(EXIT_FAILURE, _("failed to execute %s"), shell);
+	errexec(shell);
 }
diff --git a/lib/pager.c b/lib/pager.c
index 4c0197f43..9740c711e 100644
--- a/lib/pager.c
+++ b/lib/pager.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static int start_command(struct child_process *cmd)
 
 		cmd->preexec_cb();
 		execvp(cmd->argv[0], (char *const*) cmd->argv);
-		exit(127); /* cmd not found */
+		errexec(cmd->argv[0]);
 	}
 
 	if (cmd->pid < 0) {