diff --git a/scripts/base/frameworks/notice/main.bro b/scripts/base/frameworks/notice/main.bro
index 8f80961d45..00b202319b 100644
--- a/scripts/base/frameworks/notice/main.bro
+++ b/scripts/base/frameworks/notice/main.bro
@@ -393,10 +393,7 @@ event bro_init() &priority=10
 	for ( pi in policy )
 		{
 		if ( pi$priority < 0 || pi$priority > 10 )
-			{
-			print "All Notice::PolicyItem priorities must be within 0 and 10";
-			exit();
-			}
+			Reporter::fatal("All Notice::PolicyItem priorities must be within 0 and 10");
 			
 		if ( pi$priority !in tmp )
 			tmp[pi$priority] = set();
diff --git a/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/main.bro b/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/main.bro
index 5d5bd61106..ec5c05c6c3 100644
--- a/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/main.bro
+++ b/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/main.bro
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ function install()
 		NOTICE([$note=Compile_Failure, 
 		        $msg=fmt("Compiling packet filter failed"),
 		        $sub=default_filter]);
-		exit();
+		Reporter::fatal(fmt("Bad pcap filter '%s'", default_filter));
 		}
 	
 	# Do an audit log for the packet filter.
diff --git a/src/reporter.bif b/src/reporter.bif
index 4a77c2fcda..6b481eeb79 100644
--- a/src/reporter.bif
+++ b/src/reporter.bif
@@ -28,3 +28,11 @@ function Reporter::error%(msg: string%): bool
 	reporter->PopLocation();
 	return new Val(1, TYPE_BOOL);
 	%}
+
+function Reporter::fatal%(msg: string%): bool
+	%{
+	reporter->PushLocation(frame->GetCall()->GetLocationInfo());
+	reporter->FatalError("%s", msg->CheckString());
+	reporter->PopLocation();
+	return new Val(1, TYPE_BOOL);
+	%}
diff --git a/testing/btest/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/bad-filter.test b/testing/btest/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/bad-filter.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a3e2a54c57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/btest/scripts/base/frameworks/packet-filter/bad-filter.test
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# @TEST-EXEC-FAIL: bro -r $TRACES/web.trace -f "bad filter"
+# @TEST-EXEC: test -s .stderr